The Newseum Ad Nauseum
THE Newseum of Journalism is upon us:
We learn a couple of fascinating tidbits from the Post’s preview of the Newseum grand opening.
First, it cost $450 million to build this journalists’ tribute to journalists.
That’s right, $450 million. Imagine how many newsroom layoffs and forced buyouts $450 million could have prevented.
Second is this excerpt from the architectural review:
Journalism is a frenetic profession, caffeinated and hyperactive, and Polshek has responded in kind. The interior has been sliced and diced into multiple small galleries and little theaters, many of them bearing the names of the large corporate donors (Cox Enterprises First Amendment Gallery, Time Warner World News Gallery, News Corporation News History Gallery) that seeded the Newseum. Large open spaces have been set aside for a Journalists Memorial and a section of the Berlin Wall with guard tower (which has something to do with press freedom and democracy).
Hold on. Rewind. Galleries and theaters named after corporate donors? Aren’t corporations supposed to be the evil empire? Aren’t they the ones prompting media consolidation and lack of diversity in news and opinion? Now corporation have galleries named after them in a journalism shrine — because they, egads, donated huge sums of money?
Another boring museum of rich donors exhibitionists…
Posted: 3rd, March 2008 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
