Behind any story is the concept of “continuity.” It gives stories coherence, a logical framework in which the story can unfold. But “we have reached the point where continuity is almost an end in itself. Film directors and comic-book writers and TV producers will go to incredible lengths to make sure their creations have a natural-seeming history. This has resulted in some pretty strange narrative contortions.”
Tag: 07.23.04
Microsoft Puts Slate On The Block
One of the original online magazines is for sale. Slate, the web-only mix of politics, news, arts, and humor which was created by Microsoft in 1996, isn’t actually losing money, but in a year in which Microsoft’s MSN business division, which includes Slate, is looking to tighten up operations, the company is listening to offers for the first time. Microsoft is stressing that Slate will continue to be published, regardless of whether a buyer is found, and there will not be a sale just for the sake of a sale.
The Year Of The Documentary
It’s clear now that we are in the midst of a documentary boom, says Geoff Pevere, and the more controversial, the better. So what’s driving the rush to fact-based films? Well, technology has made such films a lot easier to make than they used to be. The world is a polarized and dangerous place at the moment, which whets the appetite for information. And the Bush administration, with its constant attempts to “manage” information, has certainly made a certain sector of the populace thirst for alternative knowledge. “One more thing: When [documentaries] work, they can knock you flat on your ass.”
Is Spurned Edwards Leaving NPR?
Since being forced off the mike as host of Morning Edition several months ago, Bob Edwards has kept a relatively low profile as he travels the country promoting his latest book. But as the book tour draws to a close, Edwards admits that he has been listening to job offers from around the country, and while he declines to say if he plans to leave National Public Radio entirely, it seems a very real possibility.
West End Story
Attendance at theaters in London’s famous West End are at a record low point, and at least one British arts executive is blaming the district’s overly careful and conservative selection of shows. But the problem may have as much to do with a lack of consistency at the theaters, and with the fact that few shows are being given a chance to dig in and establish an audience base.
Pint-Sized Musicians Take On A Conductor Controversy
Proving that major symphony orchestras don’t have a lock on serious conflict between musicians and boards, the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies (GTCYS) are currently embroiled in an embarrassingly public conflict over the attempted firing of the organization’s chief conductor and artistic director. Dr. Jean Montes, a “charismatic, 33-year-old Haitian” who was hired last fall to lead the top GTCYS orchestra, is quite popular with his students and their parents, but apparently quite difficult for his fellow staffers to get along with. Last night, nearly 300 Montes supporters showed up at a hastily called meeting to urge the board to reconsider his dismissal.
Funding Cuts In Music City
Arts groups in Nashville were stunned this week to discover that their annual funding from the area’s Metro Arts Commission had been slashed by tens of thousands of dollars. The cuts are partly due to an overall shortage of available funds, but also to the use of “an extensive checklist of performance ratings” for each group receiving funds.
Ronstadt’s Crusade Continues
Linda Ronstadt apparently isn’t bothered by having her encore drowned out by shouting and booing audience members. A week after being booted out of a Las Vegas casino hotel for the awful crime of dedicating her last song of the evening to controversial filmmaker Michael Moore, Ronstadt is continuing to reference Moore as “a great American patriot” at the end of her performances, causing walkouts, a mix of boos and cheers, and the occasional cry of “Traitor!” wherever she goes.
Stopping Piracy The Old-Fashioned Way
The war on copyright piracy is looking increasingly like the war on drugs – a few stalwart enforcers desperately trying to hold back an unstoppable global wave of illegal activity. And the battles aren’t just in courtrooms and online: “Recently, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry helped set up a raid on a notorious market near Mexico City called Tepito – using 1500 armed officers. There was a four-hour long battle with racketeers before arrests were made.”
Protecting Copyright Or Stifling Innovation?
“The [U.S. Senate] heard strong opposition from the technology industry on Thursday about a bill that would hold tech companies responsible for creating devices that could be used to pirate digital content. But Sens. Orrin Hatch and Patrick Leahy, the sponsors of the bill, are determined to move forward with the legislation.” The bill, which has been widely ridiculed for oversimplifying the problem of piracy to the point that devices like Apple’s iPod could be made illegal, is being heavily backed by Hollywood studios and the music industry. Those industries, incidentally, have contributed $380,000 to the campaigns of Hatch and Leahy since 1999.