Well, possums, we don't quite know what to make of this.As you may remember, it was Djlexxy, a poster on the website Television Without Pity (TWOP), who was the first to notice and point out that the editing of The Night They Tried to Shave Marcel's Head had rearranged the chronology of events to make Sam, Ilan and Elia seem less culpable. And, indeed, it was the people on TWOP who were among the fiercest and most astute critics of the shenanigans on this past season of Top Chef.
So imagine our surprise when we read in Variety this morning that Bravo has purchased TWOP.
TWOP, whose tagline is "Spare the snark, spoil the networks," is well known in TV industry circles for its detailed episode recaps and its deep online community of small screen geeks devoted to dissecting the finer points of their favorite series. Producers with masochistic tendencies have also been known to lurk in the TWOP forums, sometimes driving themselves crazy by listening to the fan feedback.
[...]
"Television Without Pity is an online brand destination for the impassioned and opinionated television viewer, which mirrors the exact attributes of Bravo's core audience," said Bravo topper Lauren Zalaznick. "This will broaden the scope of our sites to create a community where smart people with something to say about their favorite shows -- past and present -- can get together under the umbrella of Bravo's pop sensibility."
Although "Bravo execs said the site will maintain complete editorial independence," we rather wonder if this will be true, and if Djlexxy would be allowed to blow the whistle on similar shenanigans now. On the other hand, maybe there won't be any more shenanigans to expose, right?
Well, we can dream, can't we?
18 comments:
Oy. I just posted this news to the TWOP 'Top Chef Bitterness' thread. Tomorrow, I'll be edited from the frame.
Corporate America at its 'finest.' This saddens me.
Well, this explains why TWOP shut down their Real Housewives of Orange County (another Bravo show) thread when it got too caustic...
Sorry to say I don't give a rat's behind. I only read amuse-biatch and the corresponding TC links. I can only spend so much time on tv commentary, and obscure literary references, spotting of Pooh's boots and the revival of Bullwinkle's image are all I plan to read this summer. *Kiss*
even the commercials for Real Housewives of Orange County are unwatchable- I couldn't imagine sitting through an entire episode
-bravo doesnt accept insightful neg. comments on their boards now-
free speech lies with the bloggers until they too are bought out- I mean consult for bravo-
This is terrible. Bravo = NBC = GE, the defense contractor.
Bravo showed the Elia chopped out version in last week's marathon. They are tools.
Doesn't this announcement on the TWoP board about Bravo's new ownership 'sound' like it was written by Andy Cohen? Same tone.
http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/misc/bravo.html
And here's Glark's (head moderator/chief at TWoP) take on it:
http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?showtopic=3152142
Nauseating, isn't it?
I am now watching tc1 and I feel soooo sad I wasted my time on the crap that was tc2...just wanted to say that :)
As an avid TWOPer (hi lindseyquinn!), joining in during the fiasco that was TC2, I can only imagine how the censorship nazis will crack down on the djlexxys of the world when shitty Blahvo editing is exposed yet again.
TWOPer Ravenna McBride
Round up the usual suspects
CANNOT believe that Bravo bought TWOP. That really freaking sucks.
You all act like Bravo perpetrated a hostile takeover. TWoP sold to them. So, either they are selling out, or they have contractual assurances that they will be able to remain editorially independent. Hard to imagine that they could - ultimately is it wise to bite the hand? But I guess we'll see.
I don't have a good feeling about this. I've been a fan of TWOP for years and I have this gut feeling that TWOP as I know and love it just won't exist anymore. Watch all of the insightful critique vanish. Jesus. I'm really sad.
I hope I'm wrong, but I'm really sad.
TWoP has a thread on its main forums page to discuss the sale and future operations and ask the previous owners/still managers questions: http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?showtopic=3152143
This is what I posted:
Maybe I'm too cynical or you are too naive, but from where I sit, it appears you just sold your soul to the devil for some extra frills on the site and a hefty pay-off. Of course, you have every right to sell what's yours, but I can't see the benefits will ever outweigh what you've (we've) lost in this deal. Only time will tell if your overwhelming optimism about this association is merited. To me, it seems similar to a situation where Kentucky Fried Chicken just took over the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals organization. (Does anyone have a better analogy?)
Yep, it sucketh. Now we'll have to take up the cudgel. We can't be bought, Charlus! We ain't worth a damn.
NBC/Bravo buying TWOP is just more of this, business as usual: Conspiracy Rock. Catch it on Youtube before it gets deleted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIWjSGQKEJc
Anonymous 10:02 AM, thanks for posting the link--GOOD video.
If anyone wants to read serious information on the topic of media consolidation/monopolies, there is an updated version (the 20th edition) of a book written on the topic by Ben Bagdikian, called New Media Monopoly. Here's a page about it: http://www.benbagdikian.com/
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