Re: Re: Markets and Diversity

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

>Bourdieu argues in his book On Television
><http://www.leftbusinessobserver.com/Why_TV_sucks.html> that
>competition produces sameness, not diversity.
>
>Doug

Competition is the opposite of what? Monopoly? Neither of these terms seem
very useful in addressing the underlying rottenness of mass communications
in the USA. Clearly monopoly is a big, big problem in radio. 35 years ago
there was tremendous variety on the NYC FM dial, with stations catering to
a sophisticated classical music audience, free form radio (other than
Pacifica), etc. Now that 3 megacorporations control the air waves, you can
hardly find anything worth listening to.

By the same token, Bourdieu has a point. When ABC, NBC and CBS chase after
the same demographic slice of the market, they will cater to the lowest
common denominator. This explains the explosion of "reality" shows, which
not only embody a frat house sensibility, but are cheap to produce. (No
actors with high salaries.)

In any case, the real dichotomy is not between competition and monopoly. It
is between profit and the public interest. PBS was meant as an alternative
to the commercial networks and did produce some lively television in the
1970s before Mobil Oil and other corporate interests subverted the network.
For example, Frontline used to produce some sensational documentaries on
Central America during the 1980s. Nowadays, all it does is churn out
"exposes" on terrorism that are designed to facilitate US ambitions in
Central Asia.

Part of the landscape of late capitalism is this cultural detritus. The
power of big capital to deaden our senses and make us stupid is nearly
unlimited. Last night I watched about 10 minutes of "The Hamptons", an ABC
documentary in two parts that was produced and directed by Barbara Kopple
of "Harlan County, U.S.A." and "American Dream" fame. From these
documentaries on miners and meatpackers' struggles, she evolved into the
producer-director of "Wild Man Blues", an insipid portrait of Woody Allen.
>From there she has descended into the pits of hell. Her portrait of the
Hamptons does not work as social commentary, nor is it interesting in a
kind of trashy cable network fashion that you see on the E Network which
features Howard Stern.

Louis Proyect
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