Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Enforcement of the code is accomplished by the dominant media appara-
tus through control of funding and access. Commercial, public and cable tele-
vision systems exclusively air works produced in the approved format, newspa-
pers review and promote them, and they are favored by popular cinema distri-
bution companies. Ken Burns' “The Civil War” exemplifies adherence to this
code; Burns has been well rewarded for his compliance by corporate funding
and network access (Litwack 1994: 16-18).
These funders and maintainers of the apparatus, here referred to as “The
Generals”, include General Electric, General Motors, General Foods and count-
less other high brass of corporate culture. Their backing, unlike the backing of
labor unions, community organizations and issue-oriented groups, is deemed
non-political by public agencies such as the public broadcasting system (Potter
1998). Support from “The Generals” insures broadcast and/or wide theatrical
release of a media production. Support from tainted groups virtually insures
marginality. For example, PBS has denied airplay to works supported by more
than 50% by Union based organizations (Potter 1998). Ironically, organizations
such as Mobil Oil are seen by organizations such as PBS as ideologically neutral.
Subverting the generals
In 1991, Steffi Domike (one of the three
Te rmi na l Time
producers) and film
partner Nicole Fateux turned their attention toward the 1892 Homestead Steel
Strike, involving Pinkerton Guards, Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick and
thousands of unknown and for a century unsung community members and
workers. They wished to tell the story of the strike from the point of view of the
striking works as opposed to the historically over-represented points of view of
the rich and powerful Andrew Carnegie and Henry Frick. In 1993, with seed
money from unions (United Steelworkers of America, Service Employees In-
ternational Union and others), the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and local
granting agencies, they released the hour-long film,
The River Ran Red
.
The work intentionally mimicked the dominant form of the historical doc-
umentary in an effort to have this story of open and articulated class strug-
gle broadcast to the nation. When the finished product was presented to the
producers of the PBS series The American Experience, the producers of
The
River Ran Red
were told that although the program looked and sounded very
good, the station (WBGH, Boston) already had plans to tell the Pittsburgh
story of that period through the life and accomplishments of none other than
Andrew Carnegie!
