The ABC have cut the Sunday Arts Show from one hour (used to be 3 hours originally) to 30 mins for next year. They're treating it as a "gateway" to the website where more arts content will be accessible. Perhaps Aunty has leapt Moore's chasm way ahead of the rest of us and they already realise that one screen is like another and in 5 years the computer and TV screen will be (like it is already for some) interchangeable.
But for now this attitude poses many problems. We're not tuned to this thinking and it feels like its being forced upon us with little choice as to how we view or consume our arts. The problem with creating an online "community" is that this is currently done to the detriment of the one that already exists with free to air TV. Less and less do we gather around the coffee break table at work catching up on and discussing what was on telly last night. These days "access online"means de-centralisation of viewing and is pushed at us like yesterday's mashed potatoes. Unless we all make sure we check the same content and synchronise our watches, we wont have anything to chat about around the social billabong that is the work water dispenser. The other thing with online is that we have to be more active in exploring the programme on the web. We have to click on the icon rather than the item being dished straight at me when I use a TV and remote. Will people really flick through the layers of ABC website for programmes to watch? How will people come across and discover arts content online? Versus anything else that is there? I hope they have a great indexing/presentation system. One would imagine it would need to be enticing enough to chose to check it out. Well I've checked it out and I like it. Lots of scope for different projects and artsy culturally things. I hope they indeed keep their promise of diversity... if that does happen it will be much better than Sunday Arts has managed to be.
Perhaps in theory there is not much difference in flicking through with a keyboard vs a remote but for my bandwidth cost I'll not be doing it much and I'd better be damn sure I'll like the programme before iview it. Let alone download it. Yes, I actually have tried it and waved goodbye to the rest of my months bandwidth. I realise I'm behind the times and many people download stuff and flick about the internet with the same approach as my sister has to TV. (Basically she watches 3 things at once. One time it took me ages to try and work out where the spanish couple fitted in....)
But I digress. Is this channel exploring, mulit-media tasking frenzy characteristic of the prime audience of the ABC? I'm sure the ABCs prime and target audience would LAP up good quality arts programming if only if was offered. I tend to agree with Debi Enker's comments on Jon Faine's 774 programme this morning that the ABC has never addressed the opportunity for good arts programming or production, which they could do brilliantly whilst meeting their charter requirements and simultaneously cornering and building a market. You'd think that was lots of feathers in a cap. Rather than do that, they seem to run rather than embrace. Ok. I'm being a bit unfair. Historically the ABC has done earthy low-brow arts very well. Think D Generation (comedy), the Big Gig (live arts variety), Countdown (live pop music) Spicks and Specks, Collectors. And where they don't do it themselves they import a lot of great stuf from the BBC - Grand Designs, Sister Wendy, plethora of historical drama, various history docos; even Robert Hughes of old. Yes, that's the key though isn't is. Most of the local stuff i've named is the ABC of old in the heyday of the 80's. Well, with live TV making a comeback we can only keep our fingers crossed for some of these shows to be re-invented in a way we have not thought of yet.
However I am not as skeptical as some regarding this new format. There is excellent opportunity for great visual and audio arts content on a screen regardless of computer or TV. In fact we might see the times turning and after all the money has been put into the digital internet media they'll realise they can just bung some of on the telly and hey-presto, the money is spent once and audience gained twice. Isnt' that the idea of TV going digital? We're not quite ready for this role reversal yet but I"m sure in time the gateway will be multi directional. I look forward to performances, interviews, podcasts, live internet join ins, about all our performing arts, visual arts, museum exhibitions, behind the scenes docos, festivals, dances both local, national and international on the big screen and small in the future.
2 comments:
Great post Claudia. I completely agree that the days of sitting as a group infront of a TV and discussing a show together IN PERSON is quickly passing us by.
At the same time, some do prefer to view programs at their own time & place (e.g. online) and form a differnt community online.
The ABC has generally been very progressive in the online arena but unfortunately if it is at expense of the real in-person community, I feel our culture will certainly suffer from it.
Oh, and I loved Sister Wendy!
I heard of these cuts and thought of you! Great post.
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