The Attributes of Television's Technology

The imagistic character of television produces a flow of information that is largely framed, context­free, and context­compressed. ⁴⁴ A masterful exploitation of these properties occurred in the 1988 presidential campaign. With notable expertise, political media strategists situated then­presidential candidate George Bush in front of a colorful New Jersey flag factory. ⁴⁵ This framed bit of television "reality"' instantaneously communicated patriotism and leadership without the heavy baggage of commentary on the issues of the day. ⁴⁶ In addition, television conveys information in a discontinuous and nonsequential manner. ⁴⁷ For example, television programming catalogues a variety of disassociated subjects, ⁴⁸ placing the national news next to a game show, and situating an endless number of disjointed scenes within a single rock video. These attributes of television's technology maximize its potential as an entertainment medium.

All of this, of course, serves to erode a continuous and critical social perspective. Picture stories ⁴⁹ that capitalize on aesthetics and emotion do not really promote synthesis, analysis, or criticism; they likewise do little to enhance any desire to take a longer and harder second look at our culture and its directions. Although a "live news story"' about a lone Montana gunman squaring off with a SWAT team may be "hot"' national news, it trades an informed treatment of the problems of crime and justice in our society for "'action"' pictures. "Television teaches you to know through what you see and feel. Its epistemology begins and largely ends in the viscera."' ⁵⁰ The aesthetic and emotional experience is unquestionably television's standard fare and modus operandi. ⁵¹ In short, as veteran reporter Daniel Schorr has put it: "Television allows people to experience more and understand less. It appeals more to the senses than to the intellect."' ⁵²

Out of this picture­centered environment emerges the prototype of the public leader: Ronald Reagan. The former President and "former Hollywood movie actor, rarely [spoke] accurately and never precisely, [yet he was] known as the Great Communicator; his telegenic charm [appeared] to be his major asset."' ⁵³ Professor James Barber, a leading presidential scholar, captured the essence of the Reagan television image: "He personifies his rhetoric, speaks with filmic grammar, pretends spontaneity, rolls through narrative and translates every blunder and tragedy into an upbeat lesson."' ⁵⁴ Prophetically, in 1958, the British­born Huxley anticipated the Reagan political persona and its vital role in the brave new world:

In one way or another, as vigorous he­man or kindly father, the candidate must be glamorous. He must also be an entertainer who never bores his audience. Inured to television . . ., that audience is accustomed to being distracted and does not like to be asked to concentrate or make a prolonged intellectual effort. All speeches by the entertainer candidate must therefore be short and snappy. The great issues of the day must be dealt with in five minutes at the most­­and preferably . . . in sixty seconds flat. ⁵⁵