As an European I am used to being ignored by American media companies. Most of them block foreign access to their web video players. The BBC has done the same with the spanking new iPlayer as well.
I find it very annoying that in the age of international media consumption markets are still protected so fiercely. On one side media companies like to have a global hype to sell their wares (in that case DVDs and TV rights around the globe), but they don’t want an international audience to join the fun at the same time. They are only allowed to join the ‘local’ party – organized – or better say licensed – by some national broadcaster / company.
This is boring. For example ‘Heroes’ arrived two years after the hype started in the US. People read about that a long time ago, but had already forgotten about that ‘cool new thing’ once it arrived 24 months later. Not so cool anymore.
Many movies are released on the same day worldwide. Movie companies now understand what it means to have a global audience. TV broadcasters are still on that national mindset – that seems to directly program their firewalls to keep people like me out.
I love the BBC. They always produce challenging series and try to support public education and discussion. I can’t add much to what the website has to say about itself and the project:
Democracy is arguably the greatest political buzzword of our time and is invoked by everyone – but what does it mean? Can it be defined, measured, safeguarded? Can it be sold, bought, and transplanted? Can it grow? Can it die? What does it mean to people who can’t even talk about it? What does it mean to people who don’t believe in it? What does it mean to you?
In October 2007, ten one-hour films focused on contemporary democracy will be broadcast in the world’s largest ever factual media event. More than 40 broadcasters on all continents are participating, with an estimated audience of 300 million viewers. Each of the broadcasters – an A-Z which includes everyone from Al Arabiya to ZDF – will be producing a locally-based seasons of film, radio, debate and discussion to tie in with the global broadcast of the Why Democracy? films.
The films are made by independent award-winning filmmakers from around the world, including China, India, Japan, Liberia, USA, Bolivia, Denmark, Afghanistan, Egypt, Pakistan and Russia. With subjects ranging from US torture methods to the election of a class monitor in a Chinese primary school to the Danish Cartoons scandal, the films take a wide-ranging and in-depth look at the world we live in today.
That’s not all. We are creating 20 thought-provoking short films, dealing with personal, political and rights issues around the theme ‘What does democracy mean to me?’ These films will be available to view on whydemocracy.net.
Please take some time to watch all ten episodes online. Highly recommended. And it provides you with insights you hardly find in most of the mainstream media (reports).
More? Official Homepage
I really really really don’t like cars. Never owned one, probably never will. So TV shows about cars hardly appeal to me … unless it’s done in style with that dry British humor …
In this episode our three heroes try to cross one African nation with the shabbiest and oldest second hand cars they could buy off the natives. A highly amusing adventure unfolds … enjoy!
The BBC News website started ten years ago – so happy Birthday to the world’s best news source online!
The BBC site has won numerous prices, but most important of all it has become the #1 source for many people in countries with ‘bad’ or censored news. This state controlled public broadcaster beats all the big commercial outlets like CNN. And the BBC is one the few remaining broadcasters that keeps it’s OWN huge reporter network running – and doesn’t outsource everything to Reuters or AP (as good as they may be).
Another precious gem is also BBC Radio, which has literally hundreds of good shows running every week. Thank you British TV license payers for letting us non-brits watch, read and hear all that good reporting and newscasting.
Very cool TV series from HBO. It’s not as cheesy as those old Hollywood movies, it tries to be historically accurate (but there are some serious errors) – at least in it’s settings and design.
But I do love those characters and their very different attitudes. The personal stories and character development is interesting to watch. The acting is excellent. Life in Rome is full of sex and brutality – it was just ‘normal’ back then, people dying and fucking all over the place.
A nice change to all the doctors, lawyer and other soap operas. I actually would love to see a PROPER series about Athens and other Greek city states – not that Hercules & Xena crap. HBO are you listening?
Rome makes you wander if we have progressed at all? Hail Caesar!
More? Wikipedia
Delia Derbyshire was a rare creature: she studied math and music – and worked later in the famous BBC Radiophonic Workshop. There she created for example many sound effects for tv shows and the theme for Doctor Who. Delia had a passion for weird sounds and harmonies. I wish she would have worked during the early house and techno scene – I am sure she would have created amazing music!
More? Guardian Obituary
At least once a year I have to watch some old Black Adder episodes – just to remind myself that there are some good comedy writers out there. Apart from the dreadful first series I can recommend to you all the other three seasons of this great show … if you like British comedy …
More? Black Adder Clips on YouTube and Bit Torrents
Sir David Attenborough is one of the greatest film makers ever. His documentaries are stunning, insightful and brilliant. In the year 1976 he produced "The Tribal Eye". A great series about native art and culture all over the world.
Thanks to the wonders of the intranets it can be found on Torrents via Mininova.org. When you like it BUY it – via Amazon for example.
One more thing: Attenborough has this incredibly soothing voice. He could read anything to me and I would find it reassuring. Is it just me?!