Suppose that the new world government will prohibit anybody from filming new movies and TV shows. Composing, recording, or performing new music will also be banned. Nobody can create new plays or musicals either. All violators (artists AND consumers of these media) face the death penalty. Works that have already been created will still be permitted, but no new episodes of existing TV shows will be allowed. For example, you can still watch Simpsons reruns, but there will be no new Simpsons episodes.
The government decides to make you the Minister of Pop Culture. In a goodwill gesture, they allow you to end the ban on ONE of the choices (TV shows, movies, music, or plays). Which one would you save? There will be a few possible exceptions: if new TV shows are banned, hard news and serious documentaries will still be permitted (i.e., news of a tornado in Tulsa will be permitted, but bullshit “news” like the Casey Anthony trial or the birth of the new prince of England will not). If new music is saved, music videos can also be made. If plays are saved, musicals with new songs will be allowed to exist.
My choice would be to save music. Lately I haven’t been watching much TV other than Simpsons reruns, so I don’t think I’d miss new TV programming very much. I also don’t go to many movies or plays, so I wouldn’t be heartbroken if there were no more of those. However, I still enjoy listening to new music, and would hate it if Ke$ha were no longer allowed to make new songs.
I went with movies. People will always make music, even if they can’t buy it. And movies are social: people will get together, remember the good old days, and work to overthrow the repressive regime that keeps them from TV and theater!
I think my answer depends on how strict the government is in interpreting its own rules. If they anally enforce the letter of the law and not the spirit, I would choose to save television.
Technically, you could put a TV camera in front of a “play” and suddenly it’s no longer a play - it’s a television show!
New music will of course have to be composed for new television shows. Often this will be just the theme music for the opening credits, but shows like “Game of Thrones” will need to have new music composed for them. If you wanted to compose new rock and roll, you could produce a show about a fictional rock and roll star and have many scenes with him or her performing new music.
A “movie” is essentially a short mini-series. Just break it up, add commercials, and you’re good to go.
Of course, the government could just say, “Look smartass, we gave you a chance and you give us this obvious bullshit. New plays are banned, and you want to create a ‘television show’ called ‘Alternate History Shakespeare’ where the actors play characters that are actors playing characters. Did you think we wouldn’t see through this little charade? You are hereby sentenced to hard labor in the asphalt mines of New Detroit! Off with you!”
Even without trying to game the system I’d pick television. It encompasses more of the other art forms than the other art forms encompass it.
I could make do with the music I have (not that I’d prefer to)
I like plays and musicals, but they definitely occupy a smaller part of my life.
I feel like TV can substitute for movies better than the other way around - it’s just that long term development of plot and attachment to characters.
Not much of a fan of music, and movies haven’t been all that more impressive than TV lately; I have little interest in theatre, so I definitely choose TV.
Since plays and movies aren’t much in the news business, I figure the least bad way to safeguard even borderline cases of news is to ensure free speech for all hard news and all bullshit “news” on television: I don’t trust you to make the call about which trials can’t be covered, and thus and such times a thousand.
Throw in what’s already been said – the best television movies are right up there with theatrical-release stuff sure as filmed plays air on PBS and enjoyable music gets composed for the small screen, but the reverse ain’t nearly as symmetrical when it comes to any of 'em matching TV’s strong suit of extended storytelling – and it’s hardly a question.
Only if in the form of a musical (e.g., CopRock). You still wouldn’t be allowed to sell the CopRock soundtrack or perform the songs in isolation, though.