The myth behind the media (or Annie Wilkes says ‘Get a life!’)

As someone who works in the entertainment business, I find it amusing how many fans care more about our media than us–the folks who produce it. When we canceled a program a few months back we were bombard by emails and phone calls from angry viewers who were horrified their show was no longer on the air. You should see some of the letters we received–folks were talking like they lost their only reason to live. The ironic part is no one who works at our station ever bothered even watching the show.

Employees of the station act like we’re performing some service to the community and publicly emphasizes our quality and importance. But everyone–from the cameramen on the floor to the directors in the booth to the talent we have on screen–we all know it’s kind of a joke. To all of us, it’s just a paycheck; to some viewers, it’s a daily ritual.

I know this expands far beyond my little podunk television station. I listen to podcasts and radio shows were the host clearly doesn’t know as much about their show as I do. I can think of one podcast in particular. It’s only about 20 minutes long and I download every day. I haven’t missed a show in over a year–which is more than I can see for either of the hosts. If either one is unavailable to host, they don’t download the show…a fact they say on-air. You’d think they would give it a listen-to just to know what the other one has been talking about.

I hear it in radio programs. The host will incorrectly reflect and misremember a subject they discussed in the past. Dates will get confused. Opinions will be foggy. I remember–why can’t they? I’m just a listener. I don’t do any prep work for the show and only listen to it once. If I could remember these aspects of their show, you’d think they could too.

Television is full of experts whose credibility only comes from the job they hold. If someone hosts a talk show on CNN, it would seem logical they educated and aware of the world of politics…but that assumption is made solely because they’re on TV. During many sporting events, I know more about the game than the announcers who are covering it. I’ll hear television reporters incorrectly covering some sorta technical breakthrough. Video game experts confuse characters in Super Mario Bros. games. I can pick up these things because these are subjects I actually know something about. Makes you wonder how I often miss things I don’t know…

Fanboys who know every integral aspect of Star Wars are probably more familiar with the universe than George Lucas. Folks who TiVo “Lost” and watch each episode a dozen times probably have a better clue how the show will end than J.J. Abrams. Geeks who find continuity flaws in “Friends” because something said in Season 2 contracts a line in Season 8 (exactly where did that post in Monica’s apartment go?).

Any successful media product has a fanbase and quite often, that media product is a bigger part of the viewers’/readers’/listeners’/fans’ life than it is the talent behind it. The talent does it for the paycheck. They might like the glory and the fanfare behind it, but very rarely do the creators of media care as much about their product than the people they’re creating it for. I wonder how many folks out there realize that. It shatters the fairy tale we have about the people and products we enjoy so much. But I keep it in mind with things I enjoy…chalk it up as another reason why everybody involved with the media is a big phony.