How a rigged crossword puzzle on Non è la Rai exposed the cynical machinery of 1990s Italian television, and derailed the career of the woman who called it out.
Interesting and insightful. I remember visiting Italy and seeing tv’s frequent and mindless soap ads that consisted of young bikini-clad dancers singing brain-worm jingles. There was a lot of sexualization of girls under the cover of producers ironically celebrating the impossibly “low brow”medium and the “low brow” audience. Not that the audience had a lot of choice.
Those ads speak to another element in Italian culture: cynicism. You can’t value the furbi without being a cynic.
Thank you, Kim. Excellent observation. Italian TV wasn’t perfect before, but Fininvest pushed it past the line, building entire formats around young girls as spectacle.
I didn't realise they were children doing this dancing. I guess the Epstein class includes good old Berlusca as well. Not a surprise. Did nobody protect these girls? What about their parents? Absolutely vile.
There were some protests, but essentially nobody protected these girls. Some parents obviously did, but others prioritized fame and air time over their daughters’ wellbeing, hoping to secure their own or the family’s financial future.
Interesting and insightful. I remember visiting Italy and seeing tv’s frequent and mindless soap ads that consisted of young bikini-clad dancers singing brain-worm jingles. There was a lot of sexualization of girls under the cover of producers ironically celebrating the impossibly “low brow”medium and the “low brow” audience. Not that the audience had a lot of choice.
Those ads speak to another element in Italian culture: cynicism. You can’t value the furbi without being a cynic.
Thank you, Kim. Excellent observation. Italian TV wasn’t perfect before, but Fininvest pushed it past the line, building entire formats around young girls as spectacle.
I didn't realise they were children doing this dancing. I guess the Epstein class includes good old Berlusca as well. Not a surprise. Did nobody protect these girls? What about their parents? Absolutely vile.
There were some protests, but essentially nobody protected these girls. Some parents obviously did, but others prioritized fame and air time over their daughters’ wellbeing, hoping to secure their own or the family’s financial future.
Same old shit, never changes.
Thank you for this Antonio, it explains something I've heard about while in Italy visiting family but never really understood.
I'm glad to hear.