Smithsonian sells our historical film rights to Showtime
Although 75% of the Smithsonians budget comes from our federal taxes ($644 million this year), the Smithsonian claims its declining revenues are placing collections and buildings at risk, and that they therefore are justified in executing a private contract with private funds to assist their budget.
Why is this a problem?
As part of the agreement, any commercial documentary films that rely substantially on the Smithsonian archives or its various experts must first be offered to Showtime for broadcast.
Showtime is given first right for any documentary film relying substantially on Smithsonian archives or experts. Documentary film makers already pay for rights to film used in their work. Now, if Showtime thinks they can make a buck on an idea, they get first go at it.
As quoted on EconomistsView and NYT.
"Ken Burns, the New Hampshire-based director of such celebrated multipart history documentaries as The Civil War and Jazz, said by cell phone from the National Mall on Wednesday that he could see "hundreds of potential problems" in this arrangement, including the danger that "independent filmmakers could now have their good ideas cherry-picked by Showtime."
But Burns, a movie-lover as well as a prolific moviemaker, does feel insulted: "Can you imagine the hue and cry if print historians like Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough were told they couldn't do research at the Smithsonian unless they cleared their book with a certain publisher?"
Gibney, Burns and other filmmakers, as well as librarians, historians, academics and media producers, have signed a letter to Lawrence M. Small, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, calling for the Smithsonian to take three immediate actions: 1. reveal the terms of its contract with Showtime (and any other contracts that restrict use of the Smithsonian's collection); 2. annul this contract because it was brokered without an open and competitive process; and 3. conduct hearings on the issue of limiting access to the institution and its staff."
Privitization of Public Archives is not the answer.
Why is this a problem?
As part of the agreement, any commercial documentary films that rely substantially on the Smithsonian archives or its various experts must first be offered to Showtime for broadcast.
Showtime is given first right for any documentary film relying substantially on Smithsonian archives or experts. Documentary film makers already pay for rights to film used in their work. Now, if Showtime thinks they can make a buck on an idea, they get first go at it.
As quoted on EconomistsView and NYT.
"Ken Burns, the New Hampshire-based director of such celebrated multipart history documentaries as The Civil War and Jazz, said by cell phone from the National Mall on Wednesday that he could see "hundreds of potential problems" in this arrangement, including the danger that "independent filmmakers could now have their good ideas cherry-picked by Showtime."
But Burns, a movie-lover as well as a prolific moviemaker, does feel insulted: "Can you imagine the hue and cry if print historians like Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough were told they couldn't do research at the Smithsonian unless they cleared their book with a certain publisher?"
Gibney, Burns and other filmmakers, as well as librarians, historians, academics and media producers, have signed a letter to Lawrence M. Small, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, calling for the Smithsonian to take three immediate actions: 1. reveal the terms of its contract with Showtime (and any other contracts that restrict use of the Smithsonian's collection); 2. annul this contract because it was brokered without an open and competitive process; and 3. conduct hearings on the issue of limiting access to the institution and its staff."
Privitization of Public Archives is not the answer.
posted by Anne Damm at 9:01 PM
1 Comments:
this dirty deal is not about $$$. It is an attempt to put in place a censorship/revisionist history mechanism. Small minds and big egos tend to delude themselves with such schemes.
But there is something you can do about it. Pick up your phone right now. CANCEL SHOWTIME. Tell them why. Email showtime and smithsonian that you will reinstate when they dump this deal and FIRE all employees involved. Goog old American greed and self-interest will kick in when Sumner Redstone and the politicos see the numbers dropping and the bottom line sagging.
Bad things happen when good people do nothing!
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