Pam,
I agree strongly with your assertion that verite' techniques like those
used in FOX's _COPS_ aren't politicially inert; in fact, they seem very
volatile and potentially dangerous to me as hegemonic recuperation of
"nomadic" video like Holliday's/Rodney King by using similar cameras/
techniques to validate police violence instead of critiquing it.
Recently, I've noticed a marked increase of _COPS_-type camera work
and editing in the evening news and, having watched many episodes of
_COPS_, I'm sure both it and the news are trading on  the emotional
impact of violent voyeurism.  I notice you're at Madison:  I applied
to the PhD program in Com Arts there and my writing sample analyzed
COPS, "reality" TV and Rodney King.  Have you read it by any chance?
It's somewhat jumbled, but if it's still on file, you might want to
skim it for ideas.
 
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Timothy Havens, THAVENS@gmuvax, [log in to unmask]