Tim Robbins’ Controversial Speech-Part 1
I recorded Tim Robbin’s speech in Las Vegas this week. It’s in three parts about eight minutes a piece. Regardless of whether you agree with it, it’s something I thought many of you witmongers would admire for its humor and wisdom.Â
April 18th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Sherri,
Thanks so much for posting this! I had read the text of his speech online but it was much better hearing it delivered. How was it received there? I don’t find it so much ‘controversial’ as you put in the heading but rather, challenging. He delivered a strongly put challenge to the broadcast media in attendance, that’s for sure.
My favorite part:
“And you, the broadcasters of this great nation have a tremendous power, and a tremendous potential to effect change. You have the power to turn this country away from cynicism. You have the power to turn this nation away from the hatred and the divisive dialogue that has rendered such a corrosive affect on our body politic. You can lift us up into a more enlightened age. Or you can hide behind that old adage; “I’m just a businessman, I provide what the audience wants.” Well, I’m here to tell you that we don’t need to look at the car crash. We don’t need to live off of the pain and humiliation of the unfortunate. We don’t need to celebrate our pornographic obsession with celebrity culture. We are better than that.”
We really DON’T need to look at the car crashes. I realize it fills the time and gives the night reporters something to do, to go and film the aftermath of car wrecks but it’s not something we need to see with breakfast. (We also don’t need the weather report every 1.5 minutes but I digress. Needless to say, I don’t watch KTBS til the 10 pm show)
Like Robbins said, I am sure it’s the money and the profit margin that drives what we see but what about not reporting on every wreck/stabbing/burglary that happened a particular day? What about more stories on local government, on local businesses, on potential business, on the local housing market, on neighborhoods, on people, on infrastructure, on research being done at LSUHSC, on people fighting life threatening disease, etc etc?
What story has stayed with me from yesterday’s local news? The soldier that surprised his daughter in the classroom was the most memorable, by far. After that, it would be that Brookshire’s on Mansfield Road always has the cheapest gas, lol. Oh, and some guy had locking gas caps on his trucks…
April 19th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Thank you for posting this, Sherri.
I heard that a handful of people walked out, but at the end he got a standing ovation.
Also, apparently he was urged not to give the speech, and he was just going to do a Q&A, but he decided to deliver the speech anyway.
April 20th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
You’re welcome. When I saw he was the keynote speaker, I thought it might be worth recording.
Sorry so late in responding to your comments. I had to take a very long nap upon returning from Las Vegas
Really, just had catching up to do.
In case you’re interested in reading them, people are responding to my postings of this speech on YouTube. I’m “spufferama” on YouTube. The speech is in order on this site, but not on YouTube. And the other postings of the speech on YouTube are small exerpts. So far, this is the only posting of the entire thing.
bc317, yeah, the way the speech unfolded…the urging…is in the beginning in Part 1. I was one of those who stood up and applauded.
MaryS910, cool thoughts. We’re just going to have to go to lunch one day. I can’t put all of my reaction here. Here’s some of it.
I loved this speech. However, I thought there were too many generalities and stereotyped assumptions about the media that were made without knowing the inside (at least on a local level). But in every relationship (including one between a broadcast entity and its viewers) you gotta let the other know how their actions affect you. Robbins sure did that. And because we can blog, it’s my responsibility to let him know how his words affect us.
Here goes.
First, I was inspired to run back to the station and say, “Hey, let’s cover fewer car crashes!” Then, after thinking about it more, I realized how irresponsible that would be and what a dis-service that would be to viewers. Every story needs to be weighed on its own merits. What about the crash that killed 5 children or the one that’s blocking traffic at 5pm on interstate, where your loved one is stuck in traffic or what if that’s the route you’re about to take? What if it drives home the significance of wearing safety belts to know whether the people involved were wearing theirs?
The deal with TV is that it’s so dang general. Yeah, we mention major celebrity news. What if your teenage daughter really sweats Brittany Spears? IMO, this would be a good time to watch all this unfold WITH her by your side…to explain both positive and negative consequences. She’s watching anyway. Why not make this news a tool for parenting?
The internet can be sooo very specific and that’s what I like about it. You can avoid TMZ if you want … or not. You can get just news or just religion or just fun. That’s one area where the broadcast indusstry is expanding now.
MaryS910, I have to disagree with you on sensationalistic news driving profits for our station. I don’t know about elsewhere, but I can assure you that’s not the case here. Again, lunch…but we’re so busy trying to find new ways to provide news in the most digestable formats possible…and we’re ahead of the game…inventing ways and terminology along the way because most stations aren’t embracing this to the degree KTBS is. So, we do need to focus more on what’s news and what’s not. I DO agree that we sometimes make decisions about what to cover based on the old formulas…wrecks, fires, etc. But if you weigh each story seperately and see why it’s significant, with few exceptions, I think you’ll see it applies to many people in our area.
Loved the story of the soldier surprising his daughter in the classroom! Emotion always plays and usually appeals to the most people. And we’re lucky to have many reporters who know how to bring that to our viewers. And we’re passing those skills and that empathy onto future journalists.