A new research report offers some suggestions. “More than half of non-buyers say they would buy books if they became cheaper, and if they became more accessible. The research clearly shows that discounting expands the market, with cost the most quoted reason why non-buyers are rejecting books: 21% say new books are too expensive. The high-priced fiction hardback comes in for particular abuse from non, light and medium buyers. Supermarkets emerge with credit: more than half of all adults say they would buy more books if supermarkets stocked larger ranges.”
Tag: 03.15.05
Words In The Service Of Art (We Think)
Filmmaker Ken Burns gives the annual Nancy Hanks speech at the Kennedy Center. It was a fine speech, writes Phil Kennicott, but rather empty. He gave “what may be studied in years to come as an almost faultless rhetorical exercise in the dying language of Art, Greatness and Inspiration. Burns, the avatar of PBS, speaks beautifully about nothing, using a set of tropes and gentle fictions that, when placed together in almost any order (like refrigerator magnet poetry), seem to take you to Parnassus.”
Poetry – The Best Of Times?
What’s it like to be a poet these days? Pretty good, says Billy Collins. “It’s a very good time to be a poet. There are lots of prizes and opportunities to read, which wasn’t the case until pretty recently.”
Culture – Looking For Ground Zero
What’s happened to plans for cultural institutions to take up residence at the site of the World Trade Center? “In the nine months since, those arts institutions have been under pressure to prove themselves all over again. And even as the development corporation in charge of rebuilding ground zero prepares to unveil a design in the next few weeks for a museum complex at the site, it is by no means certain who will occupy it.”
Enhancing That Old Music CD
Fans have taken to the “extras” found on DVD’s. Now recording companies are trying something similar with music. “DualDiscs are two-faced contraptions that feature a full CD on one side and a DVD packed with extra stuff on the other. They have begun to take off dramatically.”
“Rings” To Toronto?
Lord of the Rings, The Musical is a $30 million production waiting to happen. But where? Plans were to open in London, but that’s been problematic. Latest wod is the show might land in Toronto. Producer Kevin Wallace’s problem is that “the musical Rings has been finished and ready to be cast and mounted for some time. Rather than wait indefinitely for a London theatre to come open, he may have finally decided to opt for Toronto.”
FCC Says Monday Night Football Ad Not Indecent
The FCC rules unanimously that a “steamy introductory segment to ABC’s “Monday Night Football” featuring actress Nicollette Sheridan jumping into the arms of football player Terrell Owens” last fall was not indecent. “Although the scene apparently is intended to be titillating, it simply is not graphic or explicit enough to be indecent under our standard.”
Art (And Artists) Versus Infrastructure
Singapore is building an arts infrastructure. That’s good, writes Audrey Wong. But what about art? What about the artists? She worries that more attention is going into building up a commercial structure for art than is being spent on developing artists and their work.
Leaders Gather For Israel’s Holocaust Museum Opening
World leaders are gathering in Israel for the opening of the new Holocaust Museum. “Over 40 heads of state and ministers will attend the opening of the museum which details the annihilation of six million Jews during World War II and also aims to reinforce Israel’s message that its existence is essential to prevent a repeat.”
Aussie Government Might Not Reduce Orchestras
The Australian government indicates it won’t go along with key recommendations in a report that recommended downsizing several of the country’s leading orchestras. “The Government is now negotiating with the states over funding so the current size of all three orchestras can be maintained.”