woule like to make a tew remarks concerning the appearance of IMG members on the recent "This is Waugh' TV proClearly, there are occasions when revolutionary Marxists should not abstain from of ERIC 800UIUI0 sourceois mecia. and inoeed, snoure seize the opportunity of turning them to their cone selecuvery ane on a clear basis. fuc essential point is to take part on your own terms, rather than those of TV producers. If chance disrupting smoon functionine or ideolodical control you will come off worse, however articulate This control, it seems to me, is exerted on two levels. -irst iris maintainee in an overt way, by asking loaded questions, vague questions, or indeed by omitting certain questions altogether. We saw amples of this in Waugh's interview. Most the questions put to comrades were on such a vague level of generality as to render their responses in eyes Conversely, he failed to ask them about her view orne workers sates. on whicH they could have produced a stronger mpression, in order to reserve his fire for nose wno were more vulnerable Second, ideological control is maintained by the use of the structure of the media. Technology itself may be neutral, Dut it serves ine purposes or inose wno bontrol it. Thus under capitalism, TV has come broad, but it has little depth. Its moose is to orovice an instant assess ment, the 'panoramic' view with the quick udgement at the end. The quirkiness and wauen proclammie. was only apparent. Their short length, their Ing from one superficial interview to in winne bouraeois project dismissing the revolutionary left.
in unts case me iv company was ar some pains to show that Waugh's views were rely his own. However, it is sometimes more expedient to use an agent who is not mainstream thought, and the choice of Waugh was cunning. As a self-acknowledged i ne cia no seek to present a fational bourgeois argument, but rather to reveal as a benign expert on COOTERIOS it was theretore in nis interests to present the revolutionary left as marginalsed, isolated elements without a genuine perspective towares me workine class. ine juxtaposition of the IMG interview between others with some rather engaging throwbacks to rounens -style utopianisi was d masterstroke. ne inree comrades were look irrelevant, because they were more down to earth, nev also aopeared nastier In short, this TV programme hasn't done much to enhance the reputation of the IMG, or the left in general. For the future, I would suggest certain guidelines for revolutionaries who plan to use television.
1. For preference, always go on a live broadcast, or at least attempi some sorro inspection of the edited version in advance 2. It is easier to get a revolutionary message across in programmes ceeo discussion. speak from a greater authority and exper•. Dener use snould be made or nose sympathetic elements already working in 4. It is much easier to gain acceptance Tor a 0lay Or TIm WAicn bourgeois ideólogy in a covert way than it to get air-time for winour counteroosin• une wo meinoos revolutionaries should perhaps the first of these do.- M. BROOKS (Colchester). exthe IMG dealing ano it is possible to CUIS across open discussion.
consider more often than they