Casa De Balneario / Mentiras

And there is something new to it - televisions are not only a symbol of consumerism but also of news on traditional channels. A topic I have never engaged with artistically before: Media Criticism.

I saw a new music video by Rammstein, using the same motif. In the video, people are glued to their news and trapped in their black/white fear. Only when the band smashes an old vacuum tube TV to pieces the image becomes colourful. The criticism in the video is a phenomenon that can be observed everywhere in the world. 

That so-called New Media, which spread mostly via smartphones, are not to be trusted, has been sufficiently known since Bolsonaro, Brexit and Cambridge Analytica. But that the long-established press, which used to provide guidance, also used manipulation and fear-mongering during Corona times was disappointing. 

As if they saw the pandemic as an opportunity to play an important role in society again. Far too often, professional journalists spread fear and failed to provide balanced information. New criticism of the media has thus become widespread in Uruguay. Massive distrust of the press - and I am also influenced by it. 

There are four TV channels in Uruguay, one of which is public. Unfortunately, they are all equally senseless. Nothing interesting in the program - hours of uninspired entertainment, in between so-called news, mostly sensationalism. I have the feeling that they no longer talk to their audience as if we were adults!

At the same time, I would like to see a good public news program. Because if news media primarily serve to generate the highest possible profits, conflicts of interest arise. The problem with public news channels is not that they are funded by the state, i.e. by its citizens - it becomes problematic when politicians and lobbyists can influence the content - as it has been the case in the last two years.”