The idea of holograms is great, and good for CNN for bringing them to TV. But, let’s think about the wisdom of using them in news: CNN spends millions of dollars each year to send reporters and technology around the globe to report “on the scene” and “take us to where news is happening.”
Now, CNN is spending millions of dollars to create the illusion that the reporter is back in the studio. How do they do this? By surrounding the reporter by a few dozen HD cameras set up in a tent…that screens out whatever is taking place at the scene.
Reality, it turns out, is much too noisy, visually busy, and chaotic for television. Much better to create a fake reality that blends better with the newsroom.
So, American TV now offers:
- Synthetic news, presented by holograms of reporters inside cocoons that filter out the annoying reality of reality
- “Reality” programs that send privileged people to sets on distant corners of the planet to suffer fabricated hardship and humiliation for sport
- Sports, with electronic football grid lines, electronically enlarged pucks, and ads digitally superimposed onto ballpark walls and fields
- A few dozen channels in languages I don’t speak. (Ironically, I speak enough French to enjoy the French channel, but it broadcasts in English…)
- Assorted crap and Law and Order reruns.
Plus, just last week, Fox cancelled King of the Hill, a cartoon show far more true to life than 99 percent of the live shows.
Coincidence? I think not.
(Sorry, I’ve been in a bad mood since Mad Men ended its season last month. All my Tivos can find for me to watch is Frasier reruns.)
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4 comments:
And all in the name of 'consumer choice'. Here in the UK, we have so many channels that appear to be wall-to-wall infomercials, or re-runs of Friends. News on commercial stations here is becoming more in the 'virtual' vein that you describe, but thankfully the BBC still retain some gravitas in their delivery.
With the proliferation of TV stations largely just diluting the pool of advertising revenue, I can't see the situation improving, unfortunately.
Most U.S. news stations have never understood the difference between "gravitas" and "self importance." This makes them irritating to watch, but perfectly in sync with our leading politicians.
As for "consumer choice," the scary thing is that you probably are seeing what most consumers chose. With commercial television, advertisers support whatever research tells them will keep people interested long enough to watch commercials. There's a reason we get "American Idol" and "Survivor," rather than "Proust's Remembrance of Things Past: The Miniseries."
(BTW, I believe both the "Idol" and "Survivor" franchises are actually British creations. I don't expect an apology for the export, but next time I'm in England, someone owes me a drink...)
LOL. There's a large cold one waiting for you. Yes, I suppose we're responsible for Idol, and I'm not sure about Survivor (thankfully it doesn't run here any more - we do, however, have the truly awful "I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here"). But, if we're counting dodgy TV exports, I suspect the flow has been greater the other way ;-)
I'll probably be in the US in December, so on that basis, start lining 'em up now... {grin}
Howard --
If you get to the Washington, DC, area, let me know and I'll open a bar tab for you!
kal
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