Film, Video and Television — Market Forces, Fragmentation and Technological Advance by Graham Wade (review)

into an art form. Wollheim argues, persuasively, that the Croce-Collingwood theory makes no sense for the same reason that the notion of ideas (philosophical theories, perhaps?) without language makes no sense. The special ideas of the artist cannot be explained without reference to the concept of art itself. As Wollheim put it, “ ...we should not think that there is something which we call the artistic impulse or intention, and which can be identified quite independently of and prior to the institutions of art”. Wittgenstein’s insights have been put to use by aestheticians before, notably by Morris Weitz and Virgil Aldrich, but Wollheim’s use is nevertheless original. His book covers an amazing number of topics, virtually the whole range of contemporary aesthetics. His analyses may not always be correct, but they are always well done and they are always challenging. Perhaps one example of the thoughtprovoking nature of Wollheim’s book may be permitted. Wollheim is frequently critical of George Dickie’s ‘institutional’ theory ofart, which is the topic of the first of his six supplementary essays. Dickie claimed that something becomes art when someone, acting on behalf of the relevant institution, confers that status upon it. Wollheim responds (p. 160), “The crucial question to ask of the definition is this: Is it to be presumed that those who confer status upon some artifact do so for good reasons, or is there no such presumption?” More recently, Dickie has been asked (by Monroe Beardsley), could there be a person, born and grown up on a deserted island somewhere, who would create artworks, without the benefit of the ‘art world’ to confer this status? Dickie’s response, in the recent The Art Circle (New York, 1984. esp. Ch. IV), is that art could not exist without a social context. Doesn’t this amount to sayingthat art is a ‘form of life’? Are Wollheim and Dickie, then, merely saying the same thing, in quite different words? FILM, VIDEO AND TELEVISION MARKETFORCES , FRAGMENTATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCE by Graham Wade. Comedia, London, 1985. 77 pp. Paperback, $35. ISBN: 0-906-890-63-2. Reviewed by Leon Tsao, Earth Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, I Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A. Technology interacts with art not only in production but also in distribution. The impact of new communications technologies on the communications industry is treated in this report from the perspective of an industrial executive. In fact, the publisher lists itself as a marketing and market research consultancy. However, the book does not offer crassjustification of the increasing commercialization of culture. Graham Wade expresses regret at the economic and political trends which are eroding the system which supported the high standards once maintained by the BBC. Though this study is based on British experience its projections of the future can be extrapolated to the United States. Performing artists may find the book interesting for a view of what the distribution channels and audiences for their work may be like in the future. Wade has collected statistics and case studies to give a historic view of developments in the British film, television and newer related industries, giving a clear picture of the competitive interaction between the various media. His narrative describes the cultural and political influences which shaped each medium. Wade writes with the same clarity and specificity as Harold Innis, who pointed out that one of the forces behind the creation of the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) was the British publishing industry, which wanted no new competitor for advertising revenue. The market changed and other forces demanded first the creation of Independent Television (ITV) and then advertising on the BBC. The fragmentation of and uncertainties in the future of the distribution system have led older entertainment companies and new entrepreneurs to establish themselves in the production sector of the industry. As Wade puts it, “Many sections of the industry are now geared to producing for the general software pool, rather than any specific medium”. Fully equipped production facilities seem a modest but pivotal investment for a company wishing to survive in the communications industry. This could change if the distribution system ever stabilizes. Another trend that Wade discusses is the increasing...