The Guardian Three Little Pigs video reveals truth about Big Bad Media
The Guardian’s two-minute commercial, Guardian open journalism: Three Little Pigs advert – video (view below), attempts to tell the story about how wonderful news coverage is in this age of social media.
However, it actually reveals more ugly truth about the media today then was intended.
I believe this commercial is the most convincing argument for closing down 24-hour news channels, most of which are responsible for brewing their own stories out of thin air to satiate their need for ‘content’. Even the term ‘content’ shows how little respect they have for us. The internal mantra must be, evidenced by the output we witness, keep them glued to nothingness and stage manage their emotions. We garner as much respect within news and current affairs outlets as a live television audience that claps and laughs on cue like a performing poodle.
This commercial fulfils Oscar Wilde’s prophetic insight that, “there is much to be said in favour of modern journalism. By giving us the opinions of the uneducated, it keeps us in touch with the ignorance of the community.”
Let me explain.
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Christmas cards die slow death – good riddance
What happens after xmas with these? Photo credit: theogeo
Had a chat with Glen Ridge on Melbourne Tonight (Radio MTR) this evening in the wake of a Herald Sun report that only one in three Gen Ys and about half Gen Xs will bother sending physical xmas cards this season.
The theory is that social networks will carry the cheer and this will be good news to the planet because back in 2005, xmas cards purchased and sent by people in just the USA and UK would have stretched around the world 54 times! This is made worse by the fact that much new tree material, inks and plastics are consumed by the industry.
While there will still be some people who feel slighted if friends sent electronic messages, I think that feeling will pass as long as the e-greetings convey the warmth and generosity of spirit that we attribute to handwritten missives. Of course, there will still be loads of thoughtless, banal, carbon copy physical cards and e-cards sent this year – at least the thought will count for both of them, even though Mother Earth would probably prefer the latter!
If you weren’t in Melbourne tonight, here is the chat.
Oh, and Merry Christmas, or Happy Holiday, or whatever greeting you might prefer.
Extras Christmas Special right on target
If you get a chance to watch the Extras Christmas Special, please do.
Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have produced one of the most exquisite and searing critiques of our celebrity culture I have seen.
The beauty of this show is that it is largely bereft of laughs throughout, as the main character, Andy, quits his popular but low brow television show to seek “proper” fame and fortune as a serious actor. However, having burned his bridges with the industry, he is left adrift and forced to admit to his agent that he just wants anything to make him famous and get him “on the tele”.
He hits his lowest ebb while appearing on “celebrity” Big Brother, at one point accusing Big Brother of transgressing the trade practices act for not actually having any celebrities on the show, just has-beens, opportunists and media darlings.
Andy then delivers a scorching soliloquy, questioning his motivation to be famous and questioning how we let our media outlets force feed us non-stop, vaccuous coverage of the insipid, banal goings-on of the pretty and/or ugly types. He calls out the incestuous relationship between the “in crowd” and the media, who feed off each other and who we uncritically and lazilly follow in our numbed, escapist consumption habits. (I note that here in Adelaide, Australia, our local Murdoch paper, The Advertiser, has more-or-less become a supplement to the paper’s gossip section, covering z-grade “personalities” and “artists” as they titter from one meaningless opening or fashion parade to another – arrrggghhhh).
It is a masterpiece of small screen “comedy”.
Bravo Ricky, Stephen and the cast. You have all brought this viewer great pleasure and this latest offering is simply sublime. Thank you!
Media Mirror
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