I sincerely hope I’m not the only lit geek who gets a kick out of watching video interviews with well-known writers. I take a lot of pleasure in listening to them talk about their work and the world as they see it. Often, these interviews influence whether I’ll pick up one of their books.
I think this kind of dialogue is becoming less valued in the mediasphere for a number of reasons: writers of our age, on the whole, are churning out fewer works to inspire debate; publishers are growing more wary of “different” work, betting instead on what they believe are sure-fire bestsellers; television entities are running scared and can’t financially justify developing what’s becoming “niche content”; it’s harder to hook an audience’s attention due to the many mediums and levels of cultural engagement we’re all exposed to on a daily basis.
On our side of the border, I would credit publications like The Walrus magazine for keeping the intellectual spirit alive in the mainstream. The Globe and Mail and National Post both have their moments, but generally, they shy away from appearing too high brow in their arts coverage — choosing instead to cover celebrity gossip and dress it up as news.
Cancelled CBC programs like CBC News: Sunday and the short-lived Hot Type (with Evan Solomon) did a great job while they were around. Now, that gap is being filled with programs like The Hour, whose “hip” exterior might attract younger viewers, but don’t satisfy the need for more meaningful engagement.
Each interview that follows isn’t all that revelatory on its own, but when they’re taken together, an identifiable social concern begins taking shape. And that’s worth watching.
