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March 1995, Week 2

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Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
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Mon, 13 Mar 1995 13:36:39 CST
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----------------------------Original message----------------------------
 Tony Willaims wrote:
>If American television had more of a public service ethos, it >would
>screen these [independent and fine art] films as a cultural >service.
Unfortunately, it does not.
>The marketplace rules and even TNT is now no longer showing >many of the
>classic works Ted Turner purchased.
 > Perhaps, the only solution to this dilemma would be a >well-funded
>public television station (bearing littleresemblance to PBS as >presently
>constituted) funded nationally and running classic film and >television
>programs from the wealth of the American and foreign >cultural heritage.
>Foreign films would be shown in their original language >forms, original
>screen ratio, AND uncensored.
-----------------------------------
BRAVO comes closest to the ideal programming you described, although it is
not (nor I suspect could it ever be) publicly funded.  Strangely, they often
censor film, and since they are for many cable viewers a pay-tv option,
presumably many subscribers are choosing to watch at a premium (I live in
S.F., where it's included in a basic cable package, but in New York it
wasn't).  They also reformat, which seems to contradict their marketing
spiel, i.e., having the highest regard for the intent of the artist and
his/her original work, blah-blah-blah.  They repeat a lot (a financial
decision?) and don't show enough short or experimental films (which have a
tough enough time finding a venue as it is).  Does anyone know what progress
is being made on BRAVO's new launch, The Independent Film Channel?  Is this
up and running any where in the country?  Does it live up to the trailers?

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