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Series about reading on Canadian television
October 30, 2009 | 8:48 am
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By Paul Biba
Empire of the Word will premiere on November 25 on Canadian television station TVO. It is 4 part series with the final part being about the future of reading and electronic texts. Here is the blurb from the TVO site:
Eight years in the making, Empire of the Word is a compelling look inside the act of reading and traces its impact on more than five thousand years of human history. Introduced and narrated by one of the world’s great readers, Canadian writer Alberto Manguel, the series traces reading’s origins; examines how we learn to read; exposes censors’ attempts to prevent our reading; and finally, proposes what the future might hold for this most human of creative acts.
As I am in the US I won’t be able to see it, but if any of our Canadian readers catch it, please let us know how it was and whether they have anything interesting to say in the Future of Reading section on December 16.
Thanks to Dan Bloom for the link.
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Comments:
It would be nice to see the TV series: let’s hope that the producers will one day make it available to the world.
Alternatively, there is a book — A History of Reading by Alberto Manguel — that may be either the next best thing, or better than the film.
Michael Pastore
50 Benefits of Ebooks
I am producing the digital fiction ‘Inanimate Alice’ which appears together with an interview with the series writer, novelist Kate Pullinger, in the final episode of ‘Empire of the Word.’
I have seen the episode which is surely a richly endowed production. Almost 8 years in the making and involving travel to 15 countries it is a considerable achievement. TV Ontario considers they have something special on their hands. The series has already been sold to several territories and so you might expect a US release in due course.
In the meantime, if you want to take a peek at the future of ‘digital fiction’ check out http://www.inanimatealice.com an interactive multimedia reading-from-the-screen experience for the videogame generation. Teachers love it because it connects them with the digital natives.
TVO’s twitter feed indicates that video on demand streaming of Empire of the Word will be available on their website on November 25. I’ve never tried to watch any of their programs before, but I have watched other shows online from other stations outside the US without any problem. I guess it’s possible that it could be blocked to viewers outside Canada, but not necessarily.
http://twitter.com/TVOweb
Yes, TV Ontario have blocked internet access to USA internet, so that the Video series is not viewable, but what they didn’t anticipate is a person using old technology. If you live within Terrestrial Television Transmitter distance in the USA as I do, The TVO transmitter in Toronto sends a very good analog signal right across Lake Ontario 60 miles right to my TV antenna. I am in the USA and watching the Series just fine. If they don’t want me to see the series, then I suggest to TV Ontario to turn their transmitters down. Its a very good program.