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.
18 comments:
Field, Gil was right, but as you said not for the reasons he was talking about. In fact I doubt A-Merry-Cans will wake from their mainstream media induced zombie mental state to participate unless channel 8 news instructs them too there will be no revolution. Just like they run out for black Friday like sheep to their financial slaugher, they will sit unless otherwise instructed.
what about youtube?
that obamagirl blew up just by posting a simple video on there.Why can't the same happen for a revolution?
Hi FN,
There was already a revolution. It happened in the year 2000. It was televised. The result was the Manchurian candidate, George Bush and the neocons were put into the White House by the Supreme Court and the Presidents brother Jeb. (and a few other people)
So you see it doesn't really matter if the revolution is televised or not. The question is will Americans even have the collective intellect to know that there was a revolution.
Thanks
"So you see it doesn't really matter if the revolution is televised or not. The question is will Americans even have the collective intellect to know that there was a revolution."
Good point, the frat boy and his peeps DID have their revolution, and we are still feeling its ill effects.
Hmmmm, I never thought about YouTube. Maybe there is hope for the revolution after all.
But shhhh, or the powers that be will find a way to get to that too.
Q: Who will televise the revolution?
A: The Field-Negro.
The revolution will be televised, they just won't call it a revolution. They'll call it a riot or domestic terrorism, and they'll scare all the suburbanite masses into supporting racial profiling and other bullshit.
What about NPR
npr.org ( I don't know how to make one of those link thingies
I think a lot of people would watch a revolution. Look at how many times the scenes from Kent State have been played over and over again over the years.
The problem is that the powers that own big media conglomerates have an even bigger motive in not publishing the revolution than ratings. Publicizing a revolution tends to augment it.
The biggest advantage that the "system" has on its side is the sense that it is inevitable. Publicizing revolutionary acts gives people the sense that there may be options, and that is so dangerous to the system that preventing that from happening is more important even than the added eyeballs that an ongoing revolution would bring to CNN.
If you think about it, the best way for CNN to increase its ratings would be to find a band of revolutionaries and report their activities day and night, trying to create a sense of drama about whether the revolution would succeed or not. I'd watch that, but the media conglomerates aren't having any, because publishing revolutions isn't part of their business model, no matter how many people would tune in to watch.
How right you are Field.
The revolution will not be televised--but there'll
be t-shirts. And if anyone has a Pay Pal account I guess they'll be able to contribute to it in the comfort of their warm homes. Pathetic, but probably inevitable.
Well, Field Negro, I'm not sure who will televise the revolution or even if it needs to be televised.
But, when people are ready to rise up with pitchforks, storm the Bastille, and tear it down, I can comfortably drive 6 adults in my car to Washington DC and deliver George Bush some special lovin.'
I am so sick and tired of the Motherfucker from Midland that there are no longer any words to describe my feelings.
And if the revolution was televised, who would watch it? Hell, who would participate?
Well, maybe if it doesn't take place on Thanksgiving weekend we'll be cool. Otherwise, when the revolution happens, 133 million people will be waiting in Wal-Mart's parking lot to get their hands on half-price holiday decorations. The revolution will be about 10 lonely bloggers holding "No Blood for Oil" signs.
Great post! I blogged yesterday about how consumerism (and other stuff) keeps our eyes off what is happening in this country. I'm adding a link to your article on my post.
Francis,a lot of people would probably watch the revolution, but the networks wouldn't carry it. --Not enough advertisers--
"...Motherfucker from Midland.."
I LOVE that name :)
Watch it Field, HR1955 is in effect! :-(
If the revolution is televised it better be on "Show Time" or "HBO' because nobody watches network television anymore. But seriously, the disenfranchised are really in need of a good revolution to shake up "Amerryca", much like we were shook up in the last two elections. I think it could be televised, but it would have to be raw, down and dirty in order to attract sponsorship. We also need some H. Ray Browns, Stokely Carmichaels, Huey P. Newtons, etc. All of the true revolutionaries are dead or in rest homes.
The BBC [5:30 pm every night ]would definitely televise the revolution. A good reminder that the mortgage crisis is not the center of the universe.
2 Cents nailed it. The proletariat are too ignorant to see what's happening right in front of their fce televised or not. Until they wake up from their consumerism induced sleep, it doesn't matter.
Ah, Gill Scott Heron. I remember where I was sitting the first time I heard Johanesburg and my reaction. . . I became funkified. It was bad. . . I soon began listening to George Clinton, then I began taking large doses of Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. . . I'm in rehab now. They only let me listen to Neal Sedaka, Bobby Goldsboro and ABBA. They say I'm calmer and easier to handle now.
i wonder about the future revolutions too. someone told me the civil rights generation will be dead in the next 30 years. what becomes of their ideals? i saw this sorry commercial recently asking baby boomers to come back into the community and "do it" again --change the world, i think, b/c we can't today. we have no language for revolution. there are too many channels to distract us with fart, too many channels to turn away from, too many channels to inform us that all is okay or all that will be wrong with the next revolution. like those who attacked bill clinton, there will be misinformation about any revolution or revolutionary. they will smoke him out b/f he speaks b/c each channel has to find a different angle to televise fart. i wonder about the next revolution. it's coming though. human progress necessitates those periods. folks will figure out a way. i've often wondered what if ali had tiger wood's money and stage? what is jim brown had micheal's nike money? makes me cry sometimes at what we waste. it's here. the revolution arrived. we're living it... i wonder about our continuing struggle for liberation. that's the eternal revolution... i've made a short video about my fears. take a look when you get a chance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a01KdCqZABw
Old fashion new cost money (newspapers/TV), if you know how to use google, youtube and a clear mind its all the news you need. enjoy
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