Video Asylum

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Original Message

A point of (slight) disagreement...

Posted by Jim Austin on September 8, 2009 at 11:07:55:
>>We have to remember: tv, radio, newspapers, magazines are sales
media first and foremost. Their supposed use or mission to
convey information or entertainment is but a thin veneer for their
real purpose. <<

In fact, for decades it was a decent content model: Free access to programming in return for viewing advertising. And it remains, in principle at least, a decent idea. You don't need to love television programming to agree that (eg) network news has had some great moments. That's free, ad-supported content protected by well-established (and in many media, still existing) editorial standards (specifically, a clear divide between editorial control and business interests). Of course that only ever applied to news; entertainment programming of decent quality has always relied for its existence on occasional high-minded producers and executives.

But my point is that your characterization, while it may describe the prevailing situation fairly well, is a little too cynical historically. Organizations with sound principles can still create principled content. It doesn't happen as often as I'd like, but it happens.

That said, I too find television nearly unwatchable. I despise commercials, which means that model I just defended works poorly for me. I often start watching something I'm interested in, turn the channel when a commercial comes on, then fail to find my way back to the show. The result: I just sit there flipping channels until I'm stupid.

Jim