Who will televise the revolution?

Remember that old Gil Scott Heron hit, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised"? It was made about 36 years ago when there was only three television stations and a handful of radio stations in A-merry-ca. I always wondered about that; if there was a revolution going on, who would have the balls to show it? Gil Scott was telling us that the revolution will not be televised, but the truth is it, given the nature of A-merry-ca, there is no way in hell that revolution was going to be televised in the first place.

Now with the explosion of all types of new communications outlets such as cable television, the Internet, and satellite radio, one has to wonder if Gil Scott's scenario of a revolution possibly being televised isn't more plausible. Sadly, I think it would be just as implausible today as it was when Gil Scott Heron was exploring the question in his powerful rap.

The truth of the matter is this; today, no one in the main stream media would be willing to televise a revolution. Not in this day and age. First they would have to acknowledge that there was one, ( A revolution) and I really don't think they would want to do that. Too bloody, too uncomfortable, and the imagery would be way too powerful. We know FAKE NEWS wouldn't televise it, because a revolution would be opposing the government in power, and FAKE NEWS is the propaganda arm of the frat boy's administration. We know it wouldn't be televised on BET, because a revolution doesn't involve booty shaking, and we wouldn't see a revolution in one of those crass ghetto fabulous reality shows now would we. It wouldn't be televised on HBO or Showtime either, because they don't deal in real time events. Maybe a year or two down the road they would televise a documentary or do a mini series about the revolution, but not while it was happening. Newspapers? Nope; too slow. By the time they went to print the revolution would probably be over.

And then there is radio. I suppose radio stations could televise the revolution. But you have to worry about them too, because honestly, only a few groups own all the radio stations in this country, and I am sure they have agendas that are contrary to any revolutionary manifesto. "But field what about all the black radio stations and talk show hosts"? Nope, that wouldn't work either, because these cats are basically buffoons and modern day minstrels who simply do their massa's bidding. They would be talking about bullshit and telling jokes, not televising the revolution.

Which leads me to the bloggers with their blogs and all their pod casts. Surely they would blog about the revolution. I mean what better way to reach the people and mobilize a revolution than a bunch of the people themselves blogging about it in real time. Sorry, not them either. Unfortunately some of these bloggers out here are no different or better than the folks in the traditional media. For instance, some of these bloggers in blogdom would not touch the revolution if conservatives weren't involved. Some wouldn't want anything to do with it if they didn't feel women were properly represented. And some of the larger Wal Mart blogs wouldn't want anything to do with the revolution unless their issues were being addressed, or their leaders were the ones in the forefront of the movement.

I guess it's safe to say that even if a revolution was going on today it wouldn't be televised. This is in spite of all the modern day mediums at our disposal to televise it through. I wonder if Gil Scott Heron could have seen back in 1971 that even 36 years later, the revolution still would not be televised?

So if there is a revolution going on or about to start, how do you tell the like minded people who would be willing to participate, about it? How do you go about televising a revolution in 2007? How do the people that the revolution would benefit even know that it's there? They won't. And that's the whole point isn't it; because you can't have a revolution by yourself.

"The revolution will not be right back after a message about a white tornado, white lightning, or white people. You will not have to worry about a dove in your bedroom, a tiger in your tank, or the giant in your toilet bowl. The revolution will not go better with Coke. The revolution will not fight the germs that may cause bad breath. The revolution will put you in the driver's seat. "

You are right Gil, but not for the reasons you think. Because unless there is a sponsor to pay for it; the revolution really won't be televised. That is because here in A-merry-ca we are all about ratings, and no one wants to watch a revolution.