Response 3

Cheerful music and rolling text seem like normal ending credits to a movie; however in “Television Delivers People” by Richard Serra, the scrolling text and happy music make up almost the entire film. Even though I just read text throughout the video, I was still amused and a little stunned by the words on the screen. The text consists of a critique of television as a means of profit for corporations. In this way Richard Serra uses television as a medium to critique the corporate control and power of television.

In the opening shot, there is a hand holding a remote and a woman’s voice says she thinks that “TV is a good way to get his attention.” TV is something people listen and pay attention to. Television is referred to as the only mass media and that is why Serra uses television to spread his idea. After the opening shot, the screen turns blue and words scroll up the screen. Richard Serra uses TV as a way to get the attention of the normal television audience; however, he uses text instead of voices to speak to the audience. I had to pay attention to the video because I was forced to read the phrases instead of listening to them. By mixing the two mediums of television and text, Richard Serra ensures that the audience is paying attention. Richard Serra uses television to attack the corporate control and manipulation of television. He shapes and controls the audience, so that they understand how they are being manipulated by television.

The generally cheerful music throughout the film made me feel happy and hopeful even when at first I had no idea what the film was about. The cheerful music illustrated a sense of irony. Music seemed to try to cover up the intenseness of Richard Serra message, and it showed how TV could be manipulated to make me feel certain emotions. When I realized how powerful and opinionated the text is, I no longer thought that the music fit the film. I realized how quickly television changes and molds my emotions with just simple music.

The first phrase written on the screen is “the product of television is the audience.” The audience is not a bystander watching television but instead something that is shaped and molded into a product by television. The audience seems pliable and controlled by television, instead of the other way around. When the TV reads, “You are a product of TV,” I felt very uncomfortable because the film was not talking about a general audience but was pointing directly at me. I am the one that is controlled by television. I became an active participant in the film because the words are directed at me.

The video is a very dynamic and interesting analysis of mass media control and structure. I was forced to read and understand the roll of mass media in society. The words spoke directly to me and told me that I was the product of television. Richard Serra uses TV to critique not only television itself, but also the audience watching television.