TV F a n t a s i e s

Television has b e e n in t h e n e w s a lot lately. It is s u p p o s e d to exist to s p e a k to us

a b o u t t h e w o r l d . A n d , like a n y self-respecting m e d i u m , i t i s also s u p p o s e d t o p u t
events first a n d its o w n c o n c e r n s s e c o n d . B u t for s o m e t i m e n o w , i t s e e m s e i t h e r t o
h a v e lost this r e s p e c t for itself or to h a v e c o m e to r e g a r d itself as t h e e v e n t .
E v e n t h e ' G u i g n o l s ' o n C a n a l Plus h a v e started t o target t h e c o n f u s e d g o i n g s - o n
i n t h e little w o r l d o f T V a n d r a d i o , i n c l u d i n g t h o s e o n t h e i r o w n c h a n n e l .

3 3

N o t to

m e n t i o n all t h e m o v e m e n t s o f star p r e s e n t e r s , c h a n n e l heads a n d p r o g r a m m e d i r e c tors b e t w e e n t h e different c o m p a n i e s , a n d t h e i n t r i g u e a n d c o r r u p t i o n w h i c h o n e

s u p p o s e s i s e n d e m i c i n t h a t j u n g l e , b u t w h i c h has n o w b e e n transferred t o t h e
s c r e e n a n d i s s e r v e d u p t o t h e a u d i e n c e a s a T V s h o w i n its o w n r i g h t .
T h e r e s e e m e d little c h a n c e t h e m e d i a w o u l d e s c a p e t h e c o m p u l s i v e s y n d r o m e
o f investigation, w h i t e w a s h i n g , r e h a b i l i t a t i o n a n d r e p e n t a n c e t h e political class a n d
b i g b u s i n e s s h a v e b e e n g o i n g t h r o u g h for s o m e t i m e n o w . All f o r m s o f p o w e r are

3 3 . Canal Plus's satirical puppet show 'Les Guignols de l'lnfo' has been r u n n i n g since 29 August
1988.

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c u r r e n t l y afflicted w i t h t h e depressive s y n d r o m e o f p o w e r - t h e j u s t i f i c a t i o n c o m p l e x w h i c h b e s e t s all p o w e r o n c e i t g r o w s t o e x c e s s a n d n o l o n g e r has a n y

r e p r e s e n t a t i v e f u n c t i o n . T h i s i s t h e case w i t h political p o w e r , a n d t o d a y also w i t h
m e d i a p o w e r . I f television has b e g u n t o r e v o l v e a r o u n d its o w n c o n c e r n s a n d t o
e n g a g e endlessly in e x a m i n i n g its o w n c o n v u l s i o n s , this is b e c a u s e it is no l o n g e r
capable of f i n d i n g a m e a n i n g o u t s i d e itself, of g e t t i n g b e y o n d itself as a m e d i u m ,
a n d f i n d i n g its p u r p o s e : t o p r o d u c e t h e w o r l d a s i n f o r m a t i o n a n d give m e a n i n g t o
t h a t i n f o r m a t i o n . T h r o u g h u s i n g a n d a b u s i n g events w i t h i m a g e s - t o t h e p o i n t o f
c o m i n g u n d e r s u s p i c i o n o f c o n j u r i n g events u p o u t o f n o t h i n g - television has
b e c o m e virtually d i s c o n n e c t e d f r o m t h e w o r l d a n d has b e g u n t o t u r n b a c k i n o n its
o w n u n i v e r s e like a m e a n i n g l e s s signifier, d e s p e r a t e l y s e e k i n g an e t h i c to r e p l a c e its
failing credibility, a m o r a l status to r e p l a c e its lack of i m a g i n a t i o n ( o n c e again, t h e
s a m e applies w i t h t h e political class).
It is at this p o i n t t h a t it b e g i n s to b e c o m e c o r r u p t . It is c h a l l e n g e d on all sides a n d
i n c a p a b l e o f r e s p o n d i n g t o t h e basic q u e s t i o n , w h i c h i s a t t h e s a m e t i m e t h e m a j o r
c h a r g e levelled against it: h o w d o things stand w i t h i m a g e s a n d t h e i r m e a n i n g , h o w
d o t h i n g s s t a n d w i t h t h e v e r y m y t h o f i n f o r m a t i o n a n d television w h i c h i s e v e r y w h e r e t r u m p e t e d shamelessly? W h e r e i s y o u r responsibility i n all this? T h e m e d i a
w o r l d as a w h o l e , incapable of replying to these questions, or doubtless even of
a s k i n g t h e m , prefers t o p i c k a t its o w n sores, t o p u t its o w n conflicts, rivalries,
profligacy a n d b a d m a n a g e m e n t o n show. B u t this i s m e r e l y a d i v e r s i o n . Excessive
pay deals, settlings o f o l d scores, t h e p o l e m i c b e t w e e n p u b l i c service b r o a d c a s t i n g
a n d t h e p r i v a t e c o m p a n i e s all t h e s e t h i n g s w h i c h m a k e t h e h e a d l i n e s t o d a y are
m e r e l y m a s k i n g t h e f u n d a m e n t a l fact t h a t television has lost b o t h any i d e a o f w h a t
it is d o i n g a n d t h e ability to i m a g i n e t h e real w o r l d . As a result, it is t a l k i n g o n l y to
itself o r t o a n u n i d e n t i f i e d a u d i e n c e w h o s e role i s m e r e l y t o p r o v i d e v i e w i n g f i g ures w h i c h a m o u n t s to t h e s a m e t h i n g . It is c o n s e q u e n t l y l o s i n g its credibility

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w i t h t h e public, a n d losing all credit in its o w n eyes. In t h e light of t h e latest g o i n g s o n , i t s e e m s i t n o l o n g e r has a n y illusions a b o u t its o w n practices.
T h e v i c e h e r e i s circularity. T h e v i c e o f t h e m e d i u m for t h e m e d i u m ' s sake, a s
i n t h e past w e h a d art for art's sake. I t i s t h e v i c e o f all i n s t i t u t i o n s w h i c h b e g i n
t o o p e r a t e autarkically, n o l o n g e r s h o w i n g a n y c o n c e r n for t h e i r o b j e c t o r t h e i r
f u n c t i o n . I m m e n s e b a c h e l o r m a c h i n e s w h o s e w h o l e e n e r g y g o e s i n t o fuelling a n d
r e p r o d u c i n g themselves. This is o u r dilemma, o n e that c o m e s to us from the
d e p t h s o f s i m u l a t i o n : w h a t i f t h e sign d i d n o t relate e i t h e r t o t h e o b j e c t o r t o
m e a n i n g , b u t t o t h e p r o m o t i o n o f t h e sign a s sign? A n d w h a t i f i n f o r m a t i o n d i d
n o t r e l a t e e i t h e r t o t h e e v e n t o r t h e facts, b u t t o t h e p r o m o t i o n o f i n f o r m a t i o n
itself a s e v e n t ? A n d m o r e p r e c i s e l y t o d a y : w h a t i f t e l e v i s i o n n o l o n g e r r e l a t e d t o
a n y t h i n g e x c e p t itself a s m e s s a g e ? T h i s i s w h e r e M c L u h a n ' s f o r m u l a t i o n c a n b e
s e e n t o b e a b s o l u t e l y b r i l l i a n t : t h e m e d i u m has s w a l l o w e d t h e m e s s a g e a n d i t i s
t h i s , t h e m u l t i - m e d i u m , w h i c h i s p r o l i f e r a t i n g i n all d i r e c t i o n s . A n d w e are,
indeed, seeing terrestrial and cable channels and services proliferating w h i l e
a c t u a l p r o g r a m m e c o n t e n t i s d i s a p p e a r i n g a n d m e l t i n g away t h e T V v i e w e r ' s
almost involuntary c h a n n e l - h o p p i n g h e r e e c h o i n g television's o w n obsession
w i t h its o w n c h a n n e l s .
B u t this i s n o t w h e r e t h e t r u e c o r r u p t i o n lies. T h e secret v i c e , already p o i n t e d
o u t b y U m b e r t o E c o , lies i n t h e w a y t h e m e d i a b e c o m e self-referring a n d speak
o n l y a m o n g themselves. T h e multimedium is b e c o m i n g t h e intermedium. T h i s already
p r o b l e m a t i c s i t u a t i o n is a g g r a v a t e d w h e n it is a single h y p e r m e d i u m television
e y e i n g itself. All t h e m o r e so as this t e l e - c e n t r i s m is c o m b i n e d w i t h a v e r y severe
i m p l i c i t m o r a l a n d political j u d g e m e n t : i t i m p l i e s t h a t t h e masses basically n e i t h e r
n e e d n o r desire m e a n i n g or i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t all t h e y ask t o r is signs a n d i m a g e s .
Television provides t h e m w i t h t h e s e i n g r e a t quantities, r e t u r n i n g t o t h e real w o r l d ,
w i t h u t t e r - t h o u g h well- n o u f l a g e d c o n t e m p t , i n t h e f o r m o f ' r e a l i t y s h o w s '

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or v o x - p o p s t h a t is to say, in t h e f o r m of universal s e l f - c o m m e n t a r y a n d m o c k e d u p s c e n a r i o s , w h e r e b o t h t h e q u e s t i o n s a n d t h e answers are 'fixed'.

O f c o u r s e , t e l e v i s i o n i s n o t a l o n e i n b e i n g c o n f r o n t e d w i t h this d e s t i n y - this
v i c i o u s circle: t h e d e s t i n y o f all t h o s e t h i n g s w h i c h , n o l o n g e r h a v i n g a n o b j e c t i v e
p u r p o s e , t a k e t h e m s e l v e s for t h e i r o w n e n d s . I n s o d o i n g , t h e y escape all r e s p o n s i bility, b u t also b e c o m e b o g g e d d o w n i n t h e i r o w n i n s o l u b l e c o n t r a d i c t i o n s . T h i s is,
h o w e v e r , m o r e p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e critical s i t u a t i o n o f all t h e c u r r e n t m e d i a . O p i n i o n
polls t h e m s e l v e s are a g o o d e x a m p l e . T h e y h a v e h a d t h e i r m o m e n t o f t r u t h (as,
i n d e e d , d i d television), w h e n t h e y w e r e t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e m i r r o r o f a n o p i n i o n , i n
t h e days w h e n s u c h a t h i n g still existed, b e f o r e it b e c a m e m e r e l y a c o n d i t i o n e d
reflex. B u t p e r p e t u a l h a r a s s m e n t b y o p i n i o n polls has r e s u l t e d i n t h e i r b e i n g n o
l o n g e r a m i r r o r at all; t h e y have, rather, b e c o m e a s c r e e n . A p e r v e r s e e x c h a n g e has
b e e n established b e t w e e n polls w h i c h n o l o n g e r really ask questions a n d masses w h o
n o l o n g e r reply. O r r a t h e r t h e y b e c o m e c u n n i n g p a r t n e r s , like rats i n l a b o r a t o r i e s
o r t h e v i r u s e s p u r s u e d i n e x p e r i m e n t s . T h e y t o y w i t h t h e polls a t least a s m u c h a s
t h e polls toy w i t h t h e m . T h e y play a d o u b l e g a m e . I t i s n o t , t h e n , t h a t t h e polls are
b o g u s o r deceitful, b u t r a t h e r t h a t t h e i r v e r y success a n d a u t o m a t i c o p e r a t i o n h a v e
m a d e t h e m r a n d o m . T h e r e i s t h e s a m e d o u b l e g a m e , t h e s a m e p e r v e r s e social
r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n a n a l l - p o w e r f u l , b u t w h o l l y self-absorbed, television a n d t h e
mass o f T V v i e w e r s , w h o are v a g u e l y scandalized b y this m i s a p p r o p r i a t i o n , n o t j u s t
o f p u b l i c m o n e y , b u t o f t h e w h o l e value system o f n e w s a n d i n f o r m a t i o n . Y o u d o n ' t
n e e d t o b e politically aware t o realize t h a t , after t h e f a m o u s d u s t b i n s o f history, w e
are n o w s e e i n g t h e d u s t b i n s o f i n f o r m a t i o n . N o w , i n f o r m a t i o n m a y w e l l b e a
m y t h , b u t this alternative m y t h , t h e m o d e r n substitute for all o t h e r values, has b e e n
r a m m e d d o w n o u r throats incessantly. A n d t h e r e i s a g l a r i n g c o n t r a s t b e t w e e n this
universal m y t h a n d t h e actual state o f affairs. T h e real c a t a s t r o p h e o f t e l e v i s i o n has
b e e n h o w d e e p l y i t has failed t o live u p t o its p r o m i s e o f p r o v i d i n g i n f o r m a t i o n -

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its s u p p o s e d m o d e r n f u n c t i o n . We d r e a m e d first of g i v i n g p o w e r - political p o w e r t o t h e i m a g i n a t i o n , b u t w e d r e a m less a n d less o f this, i f i n d e e d a t all. T h e fantasy

t h e n shifted o n t o t h e m e d i a a n d i n f o r m a t i o n . A t t i m e s w e d r e a m e d (at least c o l lectively, e v e n i f i n d i v i d u a l l y w e c o n t i n u e d t o have n o illusions) o f f i n d i n g s o m e
f r e e d o m t h e r e a n o p e n n e s s , a n e w p u b l i c space. S u c h d r e a m s w e r e s o o n d a s h e d :
t h e m e d i a t u r n e d o u t t o b e m u c h m o r e c o n f o r m i s t a n d servile t h a n e x p e c t e d , a t
t i m e s m o r e servile t h a n t h e professional p o l i t i c i a n s . T h e latest d i s p l a c e m e n t o f t h e
i m a g i n a t i o n has b e e n o n t o t h e j u d i c i a r y . A g a i n this has b e e n a n illusion, since,
apart f r o m t h e p l e a s i n g w h i f f o f scandal p r o d u c e d , this i s also d e p e n d e n t o n t h e
m e d i a o p e r a t i o n . W e are g o i n g t o e n d u p l o o k i n g for i m a g i n a t i o n i n places f u r t h e r
a n d f u r t h e r r e m o v e d f r o m p o w e r - f r o m a n y f o r m o f p o w e r w h a t e v e r ( a n d definitely far r e m o v e d f r o m c u l t u r a l p o w e r , w h i c h has b e c o m e t h e m o s t c o n v e n t i o n a l
a n d professional f o r m t h e r e is). A m o n g t h e e x c l u d e d , t h e i m m i g r a n t s , t h e h o m e less. B u t t h a t will really take a lot o f i m a g i n a t i o n b e c a u s e they, w h o n o l o n g e r even
h a v e a n i m a g e , are t h e m s e l v e s t h e b y - p r o d u c t s o f a w h o l e society's loss o f i m a g i n a t i o n , o f t h e loss o f a n y social i m a g i n a t i o n . A n d this i s i n d e e d t h e p o i n t . W e
shall s o o n see i t i s n o use t r y i n g t o l o c a t e t h e i m a g i n a t i o n s o m e w h e r e . Q u i t e
simply, b e c a u s e t h e r e n o l o n g e r i s any. T h e day this b e c o m e s p a t e n t l y o b v i o u s , t h e
v a g u e collective d i s a p p o i n t m e n t h a n g i n g o v e r u s t o d a y will b e c o m e a massive sicke n i n g feeling.
3 June

190

1996