Hey all. I’m at the airport right now. I have to say I’m very appreciative of the wireless – I don’t think I’ve ever traveled with a laptop before, but since I’m borrowing Beth’s I should make use of it.
I’m having trouble concentrating though, mainly because of the large television monitors spaced evenly through this terminal. There are six here – placed so I would only be able to avoid seeing a screen by standing in front of the final terminal door or trying to hide behind some kiosk. I originally sat behind one, but found myself right under a speaker.
I gave up, and moved to a side seat where I could see the screen about 30 feet away, but it wasn’t quite as loud. It’s still giving me a headache though – I’m just not used to people talking at me accompanied by SUPER INTENSE NEWS broadcast design.
Maybe I’m a jerk, but this is really disturbing. They’re all showing CNN (which is preferable to the FOX news that tends to be forced around here) but I haven’t found it much of an improvement. I’ve been here for a couple cycles (?) – where the same stories are being replayed, but a different anchor is presenting them.
It’s interesting how they may have differences in reflection, but for the most part present the stories in the same way. You know the sort – soundbites, awkward clips, and then maybe one new story per segment. I don’t feel like I’ve really learned anything, except that I really hate the standard broadcast design aesthetic I’m getting from CNN – I know that the Daily Show spoofs this aesthetic all the time, and it just seems funny – but after having to see a new INTENSE NEWS commercial clip or intro sequence about every minute it’s starting to be really really painful. Don’t get me started on the actual content – the usual mix of inane “human interest” stories, golf tips, stock tips, and political tomfoolery (Jindal says it’s ok to hope the president fails – true patriot!)
I feel like the only way I can escape it is by going into the bathroom or something. I wanted to read a book, but I can’t concentrate at all. So I took a walk down the concourse, and of course there were televisions in every eatery. The only place that was sort of quiet was a food stand in the middle of a court where a woman was reading a book while waiting for sandwich customers.
I travel by bus a fair amount and I remember similar situations at bus ports. I think that almost every airport is like this as well. How do you feel about this forced media? I think it’s great when media is freely available – like the internet I’m currently using – but it really irks me that I’m being forced to listen (if not view) something.
You could say that I should be thankful that I’m getting the news and I can just ignore it if I don’t want to listen to it – but this is an attitude created by constant exposure to such media. I watch television shows and clips on my computer, never on the TV, and I have to leave a room if the TV is constantly on while I’m trying to do something else. We only hooked up our television (which I use more for video art installations) during the last election.
So I’m just not used to this right now. I’m not sure I want to be. I’ve read of people worrying that personal media devices will keep people from interacting, but right now I feel like this space is being raped by that incessent everpresent screen. I’d argue it’s a lot worse – people with personal media devices can always turn them off and have a conversation or share what they’ve just been watching.