Big Screen goes blank
2007 November 29
I’s slightly torn on how to report the news that The BBC Big Screen in Victoria Square has been turned off “due to technicalities in the planning process” with a review to take place in the new year. On the one hand the screen does show a fair amount of local film and animation work and is available for festivals and the like in the city. But on the other hand I’m vehemently opposed to the whole concept of public televisions believing them to be pernicious contributors to the levels of mental polution in our built environments and nothing is going to change my stance on this. The Big Screen should go.
In my opinion.
via Upyerbrum
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I am not a fan of the big screen either. Don’t we all watch enough telly anyway?
I was based in BMAG when it first went up and frequently needed to close the windows when the noise of Neighbours of some other daytime TV fluff made it’s way through.
Having said that I have worked on some community pojects were screenings of participants work has been shown on the screen and this has been very powerful for them, but still doesn’t require 24 by 7 TV the rest of the time.
I find it generally very intrusive especially as it was housed in one of the Birmingham’s few architecturally grand and arguably beautiful spots (as long as u don’t turn to face the library (which I also like incidentally for its Brutalists ways).
I have no problem with the big screen, just it’s new location. It’s in the middle of a conservation area and will ruin the atmosphere. I’m trying to find out what this high court hearing was about.
Right, here it is. The council are in court for corruption and missing documents. It’s the councils screen, they granted their own planning permission and it has been found very important documents are missing.
Agreed: It should go.
Go it must, and the most fitting way would be in a Damian Hirst like vat of naval jelly, so that the structure bubbles, warps and slowly dissolves as a perfect metaphor for the thing it is: multicoloured obnoxiously corrosive goo.
I don’t mind the screen, I object to that white monstrosity behind it – Aghhh! out with the imperialist civic propagandist architecture and in with the ugly utility living.
The content must change and so too must the subliminal advertising and civic brainwashing slogans broadcast with every 7th frame.
In case you haven’t noticed them, One says “Stay calm, don’t panic. The council have taken control of your life and usual service will never resume”
The other one says “Go to work! Shut up! Don’t question! Don’t complain! Consume Consume, Consume and be happy!”
So all in all no wonder they fiddled the paperwork again.
Never mind only so many shopping days till Non specific-denominational-festivalness-civic-holiday