Blurring the Lines Between Fact and Fiction
Brian Montopoli at CBS News questions how shows like Jericho and 24 are warping the way that people see the world, especially in regards to terrorism and the government. He uses the example of the Countdown episodes available on the official Jericho site, saying that they first seem a little too contrived, but there are probably people who are taking the dramatizations that they show as gospel.
“24″ is a fictional show that feels real, if outlandish. “Countdown” is something else – a (admittedly bare bones) fictional drama infused with actual journalism. As the Times notes, “[e]ditor Tom Costantino relies heavily on CBS’ archival footage, splicing interviews with analysts from the Council on Foreign Relations and the New York City Fire Department’s hazmat team with scenes of nuclear bomb detonations and military maneuvers.”
I wonder sometimes that I’m a little too well-read, because of my upbringing, because I’m a tad too cynical when it comes to any kind of information available, but I do know that there are grown adults that are a marketer’s dream as much as my 5-year-old is, wanting anything and everything that she sees a commercial for on television. I find the “warning labels” put on many things a bit of overkill, but I do know why they are there.
Am I unique in this, or am I underestimating the majority of people out there?
Read the whole article here.
Jericho, internet, TV, television, CBS
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