Book TV on C-SPAN2

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This is the programming that occupies the C-SPAN2 channel all day Saturday and Sunday. It presents interviews with writers - some up to three hours long - as well as broadcasts of writers' appearances at book readings, etc. This used to be one of my favorite things on TV, even while I was aware of the irony of the best thing on TV being all about books. Over time I started to roll my eyes at their attempt at political balance, where they would typically have on a far-right nut job like Dinesh D'Souza, for example, alternating in the next segment with some writer with a mild center-left orientation. And repeat, all weekend long.

Now I suspect they've jumped some kind of shark and have gone all-out right wing. Today's guests include Milo Yiannopoulos, James O'Keefe (Project Veritas), and Breitbart editor Joel Pollak, as well as a "neutral" account of the rise of Uber, by Adam Lashinsky. This is counter-balanced with the likes of James Blake, the tennis player who was assaulted by police in a case of mistaken identity, talking about his book about sports activism. I haven't seen anything interesting here in ages, their typical schtick being "Dad books" about military history and congratulatory corporate success stories.

Does anyone else watch this?

Josefa, Sunday, 20 August 2017 23:38 (seven years ago)

In Australia we have one 30-min show about books on TV each week, and it is an annoying show. At first the idea of DAYS of books programming sounded amazing, but then I read your description, and fuck that.

Mince Pramthwart (James Morrison), Monday, 21 August 2017 00:03 (seven years ago)


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