“[A]s with many businesses, libraries could find their salvation in the internet. The number of people using the web for services including book renewals and catalogue inquiries was up by a record 20 per cent [in the past year], with more than 76 million web visits. This trend looks likely to increase as there are plans to remove the need for [library] visits altogether, with the imminent launch of nationwide internet borrowing.”
Tag: 03.03.09
Its Main Sponsor Lost, Canadian Film Fest Is Canceled
“Independent filmmakers were mourning the cancellation Monday of the sixth annual Canadian Film Fest, a privately funded, grassroots event that had to be shelved after its cash-strapped sponsors were forced to bail.”
After Video Auditions, YouTube Names Orchestra Roster
“Video sharing website YouTube has announced the players in the symphony orchestra it recruited online. Two UK-based winners will join musicians from 30 countries to participate in a three-day classical music summit in New York City. … The shortlist of 200 entrants was published on 14 February, and the YouTube community then voted for its favourites to play in the world’s first online orchestra.”
Ticketmaster-Live Nation Merger Demands Close Scrutiny
“[P]ublic sentiment shouldn’t decide whether Ticketmaster, the dominant provider of ticketing services, should be allowed to merge with Live Nation, one of the world’s largest concert promoters. Instead, we hope antitrust attorneys at the Justice Department will focus on the deal’s potential impact on event promoters, venues and artists, all of which could be hit harder by the merger than the ticket-buying public.”
China Wasn’t Behind Phony Bid, Official News Service Says
“Cai Mingchao, the Chinese antiques collector who placed the winning bid for two Qing Dynasty bronzes and has refused to pay, acted without support from China’s government, the official Xinhua news service reported. Cai should answer for his own actions, the state-owned news service said, citing an unidentified official at the State Administration of Cultural Heritage….”
As NY Plans Cuts, A Case For More TV & Film Tax Credits
“[D]ozens of film and television workers gathered on Monday to ask politicians to expand the incentive program offered to their industry in the past few years, not scale it back as planned. The program, which offers studios tax credits from the city and state for up to 35 percent of the production costs — 30 percent from the state and 5 percent from the city — has been so successful that the state has already paid out the $690 million that was to last through 2013.”
Another Reason To Keep The Kids Away From TV: Asthma
“Children who spend hours in front of the television are at greater risk of developing asthma than those who are more active, a study has found. Youngsters who watched more than two hours of TV a day were twice as likely to get the respiratory condition as children who watched less, according to research by British scientists. … The finding builds on recent work that points to a link between asthma and low levels of physical activity.”
Commercial Breaks Enhance Our TV Viewing (Yes, Really!)
“[W]hy is it that commercial interruptions always ruin TV programs? Maybe they don’t. In two new studies, researchers who study consumer behavior argue that interrupting an experience, whether dreary or pleasant, can make it significantly more intense.”
Thanks To Feds, Blagojevich Inks Six-Figure Book Deal
“Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has landed a deal to write a book in which he will focus on ‘the discussions, the considerations and the factors involved in picking’ a U.S. Senate successor to Barack Obama…. Blagojevich’s publicity agent, Glenn Selig, said the deal was with an independent publisher, Phoenix Books, and was worth six figures. The news release said Blagojevich will expose the ‘dark side of politics’ that he witnessed as a former congressman and governor.”
Chinese Artworks’ Provenance Takes On Greater Weight
“Western dealers said it may be more difficult to sell high-value Chinese works of art after a collector refused to pay for two Qing bronzes on which he had placed the winning bid at a Paris auction last week. … The risk of Chinese government disapproval may make important items connected with its emperors unsaleable without detailed ownership records, they said.”