***  Haus der Kulturen der Welt: Forum1 Archive  ***
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   [Date]: Tue, 07 Dec 1999 14:51:53 -0800
   [From]: Susan Marquez <smarq@pacbell.net>
     [To]: Cultural Exchange via Internet <forum1@hkw.kbx.de>
[Subject]: Re: [forum1] Re: Access

Dear PEACE/Ami,

I wanted to address you and your alter ego in more depth. Yes, people will not necessarily want much more than the kind of websites that offer little games, online chat, and personal ads. But some people demand more than that to be sure. I certainly do and I am willing to bet the people in this forum do, too. Unless you write to television stations for answers to questions or complaints (and who knows how seldom you get the response), TV is otherwise a very on-dimensional experience. At least with an information tool like the internet integrated into it, you can instantly check on the validity or the source of anything you might see on TV. And sometimes that can be handy, especially with breaking news, elections, corporate tie-ins, and historical background. As with anything, unless enough people demand quality, TV will go on being mediocre. At the same time, quality costs money and the business sector exercises the right to increase its prices to compensate for such demands from its consumers.

Corporate tie-ins to TV shows through the internet is already here. Aaron Spelling has started a website to merchandise the products you see on his shows like Melrose Place. I am a frequent on-line shopper, though I am not necessarily interested in this kind of merchandising. It is an interesting development, nevertheless. Perhaps artwork can find its way into peoples homes in the same way, such as through a arts and culture "info-tainment" program.

The internet will only work where it can work. Nothing will change that reality. France already tried (and failed) to implement a household device that allowed internet access from the home. Did anyone in France participating in this FORUM try that product out?

In my work I have learned that in the U.S. many political representatives in this country deliberately do not have an "official" email for citizens to use in order to reach them. They require the paper method. So much for making it easier for the country to improve communication between the public and its political establishment. Is this also the case in other parts of the world?

Susan


Susan Marquez wrote:

> Why be so cynical now about television?
>
> Ami Isseroff wrote:
>
> > Hi Susan,
> >
> > Interactive TV is not necessarily a good thing. At least now,
> > people cannot
> > make the shows worse. Ciao,
> > A-