“The View From the Phlipside” is a media commentary program airing on WRFA-LP, Jamestown NY. It can be heard Monday through Friday around 7:30 AM. The following are scripts which may not exactly match the aired version of the program. Mostly because the host may suddenly choose to add or subtract words at a moments notice. WRFA-LP is not responsible for any such silliness or the opinions expressed. You can listen to a live stream of WRFA or find a podcast of this program at wrfalp.com. Copyright 2013-16 by Jay Phillippi. All Rights Reserved. You like what you see? Drop me a line and we can talk.
Program scripts from week of January 18, 2016
My name is Jay Phillippi and I’ve spent my life in and around the media. TV, radio, the movies and more. I love them, and I hate them and I always have an opinion. Call this the View from the Phlipside.
Movie Preview
With
most of January behind us now, I thought it was time to look ahead
towards movies between now and the summer blockbuster season. So
call it movies between now and the end of July, mid-summer. To be
honest I don’t see a lot that really blows me away this year.
most of January behind us now, I thought it was time to look ahead
towards movies between now and the summer blockbuster season. So
call it movies between now and the end of July, mid-summer. To be
honest I don’t see a lot that really blows me away this year.
Since
it’s heading into summer the number of sequels and latest
installments of movie series really dominate the list. Let’s just
run through them quickly. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, Neighbors 2,
The Conjuring 2, Zoolander 2, Now You See Me 2, Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtles 2, The Purge 3, Kung Fu Panda 3, Matt Damon returns in the
fifth Bourne movie, which doesn’t seem to actually have a title yet.
In other follow up movies we have new installments in the Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon series, plus new ones for the X-Men, Star Trek,
Captain America, The Huntsman, Ice Age, The Divergent Series and a
sequel to 1996’s “Independence Day”. We also have “Alice
Through the Looking Glass” which is the follow up to Tim Burton’s
“Alice in Wonderland”.
it’s heading into summer the number of sequels and latest
installments of movie series really dominate the list. Let’s just
run through them quickly. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, Neighbors 2,
The Conjuring 2, Zoolander 2, Now You See Me 2, Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtles 2, The Purge 3, Kung Fu Panda 3, Matt Damon returns in the
fifth Bourne movie, which doesn’t seem to actually have a title yet.
In other follow up movies we have new installments in the Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon series, plus new ones for the X-Men, Star Trek,
Captain America, The Huntsman, Ice Age, The Divergent Series and a
sequel to 1996’s “Independence Day”. We also have “Alice
Through the Looking Glass” which is the follow up to Tim Burton’s
“Alice in Wonderland”.
I
can’t really see any reason for the Neighbors, Zoolander or Purge
sequels. I’m certain they will make enough money to insure at least
one more tedious sequel each. I will admit to some excitement over
the Bourne movie, and the latest Star Trek, Captain American and
Independence Day will probably get me to drop a few dollars at the
movies.
can’t really see any reason for the Neighbors, Zoolander or Purge
sequels. I’m certain they will make enough money to insure at least
one more tedious sequel each. I will admit to some excitement over
the Bourne movie, and the latest Star Trek, Captain American and
Independence Day will probably get me to drop a few dollars at the
movies.
There
are also some re-makes of stories we have seen before. My
reservation about re-treads runs in the red zone when I think about
the new version of “Ghostbusters”. With an estimated budget of
over one hundred fifty million dollars it is going to have to be
really good to avoid being a bomb. Just don’t see it personally.
Even with Chris Hemsworth as the lead and a possibility that the
original cast will make some kind of appearances, this one will have
a tough row to hoe.
are also some re-makes of stories we have seen before. My
reservation about re-treads runs in the red zone when I think about
the new version of “Ghostbusters”. With an estimated budget of
over one hundred fifty million dollars it is going to have to be
really good to avoid being a bomb. Just don’t see it personally.
Even with Chris Hemsworth as the lead and a possibility that the
original cast will make some kind of appearances, this one will have
a tough row to hoe.
It
may not be alone in that category. Warner Brothers is trying to
re-launch the Tarzan franchise again. Given that the only recent
version to make money was the Disney animated one I’m not sure why.
Early word is that the studio may be looking at another bomb to match
with “Pan”.
may not be alone in that category. Warner Brothers is trying to
re-launch the Tarzan franchise again. Given that the only recent
version to make money was the Disney animated one I’m not sure why.
Early word is that the studio may be looking at another bomb to match
with “Pan”.
I
will admit that I’m intrigued by the new version of “The Jungle
Book”. I have no idea why but I am.
will admit that I’m intrigued by the new version of “The Jungle
Book”. I have no idea why but I am.
So
is there anything that really grabs me? Well, the “Fifty Shades of
Black” spoof on “50 Shades of Gray” sounds, interesting. Same
for “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”. And last but not least is
the Coen Brothers “Hail, Ceasar”. With the usual cast of stars
and their half bubble off sensibility, it’s always interesting.
is there anything that really grabs me? Well, the “Fifty Shades of
Black” spoof on “50 Shades of Gray” sounds, interesting. Same
for “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”. And last but not least is
the Coen Brothers “Hail, Ceasar”. With the usual cast of stars
and their half bubble off sensibility, it’s always interesting.
I’m
hoping some movie is waiting to surprise me.
hoping some movie is waiting to surprise me.
State of the Union
I
was scanning through my usual feeds, looking for interesting stories
out there in the media world, when I came across a commentary about
the State of the Union address this year. In a word, the writer
thought it was dull. My first thought was “Well, duh”. I mean
it’s a political speech. Even granting the oratorical skills of the
current office holder, it’s just not thrilling TV. I’m not alone in
that assessment. The American people made this the least watched
State of the Union since ratings were tracked for the speech, which
only goes back to 1990. Just a fraction over thirty one million of
you tuned in.
was scanning through my usual feeds, looking for interesting stories
out there in the media world, when I came across a commentary about
the State of the Union address this year. In a word, the writer
thought it was dull. My first thought was “Well, duh”. I mean
it’s a political speech. Even granting the oratorical skills of the
current office holder, it’s just not thrilling TV. I’m not alone in
that assessment. The American people made this the least watched
State of the Union since ratings were tracked for the speech, which
only goes back to 1990. Just a fraction over thirty one million of
you tuned in.
It’s
not as if we couldn’t find it on the tube. All the broadcast
networks carried it plus the cable news networks, both C-Spans and
more. The total ran to almost two dozen channels, depending on where
you live.
not as if we couldn’t find it on the tube. All the broadcast
networks carried it plus the cable news networks, both C-Spans and
more. The total ran to almost two dozen channels, depending on where
you live.
But
it’s just not compelling television. Nor was it really intended to
be. The Constitution requires the President shall “…shall
from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the
Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall
judge necessary and expedient.”
it’s just not compelling television. Nor was it really intended to
be. The Constitution requires the President shall “…shall
from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the
Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall
judge necessary and expedient.”
There’s
no requirement that it be given in person and until Woodrow Wilson it
was generally just submitted as a written report. It’s only been
since Franklin Delano Roosevelt that presidents have given them in
person. Television broadcasts started in 1947 with Harry Truman.
no requirement that it be given in person and until Woodrow Wilson it
was generally just submitted as a written report. It’s only been
since Franklin Delano Roosevelt that presidents have given them in
person. Television broadcasts started in 1947 with Harry Truman.
The
real problem is that it hasn’t changed much since “Give ’em Hell
Harry” stepped up to the podium that year. Which is insane when
you think about it. It’s basically just a couple camera set up. We
either watch the President giving the speech or other people watching
the President giving the speech. Oh, and depending on the channel,
you may get “instant analysis”, otherwise known as talking heads
who won’t shut up. Admit it, you started dozing off just listening
to the description of the State of the Union. That, for an hour, is
not television’s finest expression of the art.
real problem is that it hasn’t changed much since “Give ’em Hell
Harry” stepped up to the podium that year. Which is insane when
you think about it. It’s basically just a couple camera set up. We
either watch the President giving the speech or other people watching
the President giving the speech. Oh, and depending on the channel,
you may get “instant analysis”, otherwise known as talking heads
who won’t shut up. Admit it, you started dozing off just listening
to the description of the State of the Union. That, for an hour, is
not television’s finest expression of the art.
I’m
not suggesting a musical soundtrack or a dance line, but surely in an
age of the kind of communication technologies we have today, we can
come with some more interesting than this. Multi-media, using the
ability to bring greater depth and nuance to the story being told by
the Chief Executive of our nation. Last year’s Super Bowl had one
hundred fourteen million viewers, that’s almost forty seven percent
of the adult audience compared to just shy of thirteen percent.
not suggesting a musical soundtrack or a dance line, but surely in an
age of the kind of communication technologies we have today, we can
come with some more interesting than this. Multi-media, using the
ability to bring greater depth and nuance to the story being told by
the Chief Executive of our nation. Last year’s Super Bowl had one
hundred fourteen million viewers, that’s almost forty seven percent
of the adult audience compared to just shy of thirteen percent.
It’s
an important speech. I’m not saying I think it will ever match the
Super Bowl numbers. But surely it is time to bring it into the 21st
century.
an important speech. I’m not saying I think it will ever match the
Super Bowl numbers. But surely it is time to bring it into the 21st
century.
Al Jazeera America
After
just two and a half years the news experiment called “Al Jazeera
America” is coming to an end. In a message to its employees last
week, the network cited an unsustainable business model as the reason
for the closure. While the network won a variety of awards in its
brief history, including both a Peabody and an Emmy, it simply never
gained much traction with viewers.
just two and a half years the news experiment called “Al Jazeera
America” is coming to an end. In a message to its employees last
week, the network cited an unsustainable business model as the reason
for the closure. While the network won a variety of awards in its
brief history, including both a Peabody and an Emmy, it simply never
gained much traction with viewers.
While
I will admit that I was only rarely one of those viewers, I think the
closing of the news network is an overall loss for this country. The
de-regulation of television license ownership rules that culminated
in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, has seriously reduced the
diversity of voices in the media today. The voices of true
“outsiders” is something that should be valued higher than they
have been in recent history.
I will admit that I was only rarely one of those viewers, I think the
closing of the news network is an overall loss for this country. The
de-regulation of television license ownership rules that culminated
in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, has seriously reduced the
diversity of voices in the media today. The voices of true
“outsiders” is something that should be valued higher than they
have been in recent history.
Al
Jazeera America is one of the network of channels worldwide by the Al
Jazeera Media Network. That network was founded with the financial
support of the Emir of Qatar in1996 as a replacement for the BBC
Arabic network. Since then they have expanded into several other
networks including “beIN Sports”. There is another English
language network in the group. It began as an English language
website then expanded to Al Jazeera International. Today the news
network has the second most international bureaus of any news
organization in the world, second only to the BBC.
Jazeera America is one of the network of channels worldwide by the Al
Jazeera Media Network. That network was founded with the financial
support of the Emir of Qatar in1996 as a replacement for the BBC
Arabic network. Since then they have expanded into several other
networks including “beIN Sports”. There is another English
language network in the group. It began as an English language
website then expanded to Al Jazeera International. Today the news
network has the second most international bureaus of any news
organization in the world, second only to the BBC.
Al
Jazeera has always had some controversy attached to it. The parent
network has been critical of the U.S. government. There are also
concerns that it has not been critical enough of groups in the Middle
East that the U.S. government and the American population consider
dangerous. When it first launched about forty percent of the content
on the American network was generated by the International staff. In
relatively short order all of the network content came out of
headquarters in New York City and at the twelve bureaus around the
nation.
Jazeera has always had some controversy attached to it. The parent
network has been critical of the U.S. government. There are also
concerns that it has not been critical enough of groups in the Middle
East that the U.S. government and the American population consider
dangerous. When it first launched about forty percent of the content
on the American network was generated by the International staff. In
relatively short order all of the network content came out of
headquarters in New York City and at the twelve bureaus around the
nation.
But
I return to that initial idea. That we are not better off when all
our primary news sources are controlled by just a few corporate
owners. While news networks like BBC and CBC offer important outside
viewpoints they are not that far from our own. A truly outside
voice, one that may force us into a deeper look at our own
shortcomings upon occasion, may be a vitally important sound in the
echo chamber of American media.
I return to that initial idea. That we are not better off when all
our primary news sources are controlled by just a few corporate
owners. While news networks like BBC and CBC offer important outside
viewpoints they are not that far from our own. A truly outside
voice, one that may force us into a deeper look at our own
shortcomings upon occasion, may be a vitally important sound in the
echo chamber of American media.
Al
Jazeera America will go off the air in April of this year.
Jazeera America will go off the air in April of this year.
Call that the View From the Phlipside
Copyright Jay Phillippi, 2016
Theme music for “The View From the Phlipside” and “TVFTP – Podcast” is “Hustle”
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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