as. Thinkin ‘ ' , made the box
Contrary to popular belief, some filmmakers are still producing serious, important and highly entertaining television programmes. But who’s watching them?
umours ol' the death of good television are. like
most warnings of ‘dumbing down'. somewhat
exaggerated. Yet. in these days ol‘ rampant 'reality' TV‘. it’s dillicult to avoid the conclusion that were in the grip (it a new televisual populism. l‘lick through the listings tor the big live terrestrial channels and you‘d be hard pressed. in the midst of celebrity diets and pro-am singing comjwtitions. to lind the sort ol mindsespanding current allairs programming that is celebrated in (ieorge (‘looney's hit movie (food Night. and (food I.H('/\. Non-liction. ‘real lil'e‘ TV now consists largely ol~ prurient l'ilms (You Are What You [5111. ('hannel 4: ‘A Norl‘olk mother‘s request for help in changing her 20-year-old daughter unhealthy ways) or the most inconsequential of current affairs shows (The 'I'riu/i About Referees. l'l‘V l ). You don‘t have to be a dusty ()xl'ord don to lind yourself agreeing with the lamous assertion by Lord Reith. the lirst director-general ol' the BB(‘: 'lle who prides himsell' on giving what he thinks the people want is creating a fictitious demand for lower standards which he will then satisl'y.’ 'l'hat view is now seen. not least at the BB(‘ itsell'. as hopelessly idealistic. even. whisper it. ‘elitist‘. Yet. Reith was absolutely right to champion public service broadcasting as a bulwark against pliilistine populism. He was right. too. to challenge the assertion. inherent within populism. that the lowest common denominator is a) what 'the people‘ want. and b) all that ‘the people‘ can understand. We. in Scotland. have something ol’ a
monument to populism in (ilasgow's (iallery ol‘
Modern An. One man. .lulian Spalding. was allowed to select an entire collection based upon what he considered to be ‘an lor the people‘. The result was that the dal't seaside postcard an of Beryl (‘ook was elevated to the same level as the work of Ken (‘urrie and Bridget Riley. Yet. despite the super-conl’idence ol‘ the new televisual 'l‘hatcherism (or is it Blairism‘.’ It‘s so difficult to tell them apart these days). high quality. thought- provoking TV is still being made. It you have access to digital channel BB(‘4. l‘or example. you‘ll lind the kind ol‘ hard-hitting current al‘l‘airs documentaries that challenge the complacency ol' the comparatively well- heeled viewers ol' the West. Arts programming. too. ol‘l'ers more depth than the occasional concessions to the 'literati' made by BB(‘2 and other terrestrial channels. Yet. this breaking down ol‘ the TV audience into neatly delined compartments is not a solution to the danger ol' ‘dumbing down‘. rather it contributes to it. It need hardly be said that there is not one TV audience. btit many. However. it's l'olly to suppose that a good proportion of the audience that watches massive sporting events doesn't also have an appetite for serious political or arts programming. Thousands. if not
10 THE LIST 16 30 Mai 9006
‘DON'T WE
ALL DESERVE TV THAT MOVES YOU TO WRITE TO A PRESIDENT?’
millions. of people in Britain marched against the invasion of Iraq. Were they all elite intellectuals. or would they appreciate more serious current al’l‘airs shows on BB('| or l'l‘Vl'.’ Why are they expected to settle litil' Willie/II Willi 'I'n'i'nr Alt/)mudd'.’
'l'he impending. and doubtless crisis-ridden. switch to digital TV is the stock defence against the accusation that the best quality television is now beyond the reach of a huge proportion of the population. For now. however. millions of people have simply seen a decline in the quality of the big live channels to which they have access; (‘hannel 4's lall being most obvious. and damaging. ol’ all. Yet. if the picture is somewhat depressing. a recent visit to the l’ll’A television l'estival in Biarritl. lirance. restores one‘s faith in the power and potential of TV. lirom Bruno Monsaingeon's extraordinary lilm about the (‘anadian pianist (ilenn (iotlltl to ()livia Rousset‘s harrowing- yet-uplil'ting documentary Inside Indonesia's Sm Trude. lill’A reminded one that TV can be intelligent and humane; and that it can stand in opposition to what Mark li Smith. iconic front man of rock band the liall. termed 'the war against intelligence‘.
For my part. I was particularly impressed by the documentary [Ii/m- dr’ Iu Monrmiu do Plant by Spanish filmmaker Juan S Betancor. l‘ollowing the lives of metal miners in Bolivia. it uncovers. with great humanity and observable anger. the neo-Victorian working and living conditions that are not only tolerated. but actively encouraged in the so-called “third world‘ by an increasingly globalised capitalist system. So moved was I. in fact. that I wrote both to Betancor (from whom I received a very warm reply) and President livo Morales (the newly—elected. lel‘t-wing leader of Bolivia). Television that moves you to write to a president. Don't we all deserve that‘.’
The writer would like to thank the FIPA festival
(fipa.tm.fr). You Are {hat Yh ‘
PLUCKING FRUITS FROM THE CULTURAL BUSH
I Fresh from their Oscar success. the top actors and actresses have just announced some new roles. Reese Witherspoon is about to research the delivering of pizzas in London for her covstarring part in Penelope alongside Christina Rich . while Philip Seymour Hoffman is set to confirm his role in The Savages. He and Laura Linney will play siblings forced to care for their ailing and hitherto estranged elderly father . . . Showing that they can still rock with the best of them. Iron Maiden have just announced that they will wig out at Glasgow's SECC in December with a new album launched just beforehand . . . John Travolta and Queen Latifah have agreed to star in the remake of John Watere' 1988 Hairspray. But which one of them will resurrect the Divine character Edna Turnblad? That's right. it's old Mr Scientology . . . Bruce Springsteen is to release a new album at the end of April entitled We Shall Overcome. It features Da Boss’ interpretations of 13 songs from folk legend Pete Seeger . . . The Pub Landlord Al Murray is back with advice on all your drinking habits in a show called And Another Thing. which will roll Glasgow King's Theatre way in June . . . Christina Aguilera's long-awaited new album is due out in the summer with hints being dropped from her quarters that it will combine elements of old blues, jazz and soul but with a contemporary feel . . . We simply can't make any comment on the disturbing news that Paris Hilton's recording debut is on the horizon. No, really. we can't.