Ever since submitting a proposal to the National Summit on Arts Journalism for NewMusicBox/Counterstream Radio, I’ve been scratching at the concept of “reinventing arts coverage” in my head. If we could close our eyes, click our heels, and start over, what would journalism about the arts look like? If we were just starting to produce it in 2009, would we still fall into the “profile and review” pattern of discourse, or would we get something radically “other” (besides the 2.0 Twitter review and the Facebook bump)? I considered taking up the Hunter S. Thompson method myself once before, and it appears some new kids on the block are going to try out The Onion approach, but as media consumers about media, what are we seriously hunting for? What do we need reported about the arts and how do we want it packaged?
Personally, when it comes to music in the specific, I guess I’m still looking for a feed of actual music (i.e. audio) that helps me sort through the avalanche of new content that flows out of the recording mines every day, but one that also stretches out further than just the coolest indie rock MP3. I’m hunting for gate keepers who can point me in particular directions (and I very much do mean that in the plural), but then I also want enough multimedia at the ready right there on the page to make a judgment call for myself (I’m trapped between paradigms and I’m not sure I want to get free yet). I don’t want complete critical autonomy, but I don’t want the alternative to require absolute buy-in to the presenter’s viewpoint either. I want surface detail to attract my attention–a teaser track, a biographical or philosophical designation–and then the option to dig in much further when something catches my interest. And “much further” need not always be defined as a chronological unpacking of an artist’s life story, either. (Where does that leave the “deep think” pieces? Somewhere inside there, but I’m just not sure what they look like.)
And so here’s my thinking: If I can log and track those interests as I discover them and keep following artists along as they create more, that’s a huge improvement from what I’m doing/getting now. If I can do all this regularly and efficiently, seamlessly and continually refreshing my music library with new picks and knowledge, even better. Now, I know there are plenty of “if you like” sites already running, but I’m asking for a trusted source to help curate mine, pare down my choices and yet make sure it keeps up its diversity. We all need a place to start, and I’d rather not start with the stuff I already know and love too much. I don’t want to miss new breakthroughs because I’m still listening to everything that sounds like Will Oldham.
Okay, I’m closing my eyes, clicking my heels, I can see it now. Wait, what? Oh, you want me to tell you how we’re going to pay for all this? Damn, I hate when dreams come with accountants and their realistic spreadsheet desires. And I doubt I could sell anyone on a subscription model in this economy.
Molly, I would argue that artists and audiences expect the culture critics to do the gatekeeping and curation, and yet you seem to be looking for someone else to play that role. Am I missing something, or misreading? (Sorry if this seems confrontational; I’m just looking for clarification.)
Molly responds: No, no. I’m not trying to pass off my duties as critical priestess. I was actually just trying to consider the issue from the vantage point of a consumer, not a media employee. That said, critics don’t know everything about everything that’s out there, and I would argue that the sheer volume means it’s all too easy to hole up in your genre bubble and not keep abreast of what the rest of the music world is making if you’re not careful. So looking for a helping hand there, too.
Ms. Sheridan,
I resent your allusion to myself and my staff as the 1980s pop group, New Kids On The Block. I may publish a tabloid website, but I am a composer of serious music. I would also like to state for the record that I find all forms of popular music to be abhorrent drivel. I hope that you will not sully my good name in the future.
Sincerely,
Milton Blabber
Molly notes: No offense intended! Though I must admit that I find it a bit odd that you’ll play in the muck of idyll gossip but not the joy of hot ’80s pop tunes.
Online publication finally becomes a web site.
Wait, wait! Attention accountants: To become a true web publication, apparently all you really need to do is fire some people. This also works for publications that are already exclusively online, confusingly.