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critic; Linda Blumberg former vice president, Institute for Art and Urban Resources; John Hanhardt, film and video curator, The Whitney Museum of American Art; Steve Lawrence, director of television services, Center for Non-Broadcast Television; Karen Mooney, associate director, Global Village Independent Video Center; Ingrid Wiegand and Jaime Davidovich, video artists. The board then elected Davidovich, president and chairman; Blumberg, vice president; Mooney, treasurer; and Wiegand, secretary. The officers consult with a board of advisors in order to give breath and direction to the organization. This spring Soho Television programmed the only regular series of arts-related tapes on cable. It will be followed by summer reruns. ATN will have 26-week series this fall, with plans for year-round programming augmented by specials. One of these, "Live from The Kitchen," will feature avant-garde musical programs simulcast over radio station WBAI in order to enrich the sound fidelity of the home screen. The weekly half-hour fare is wire-ranging, as it should be if it is to remain innovative. The first program, "Artists Propaganda II," was a presentation of 13 artists appearing in their respective works of performance art. The second show was an unusual interview of composer John Cage by Richard Kostelanetz. The third featured Julia Hayward, and the fourth, Robert Kushner. In the fifth offering, Davidovich created a masterpiece of hilarity. With art critic Gregory Battcock, he created "Outreach: The Changing Role of the Art Museum," a parody of museum directors' concern with providing ancillary services to patrons (food, parking, bookstores, community outreach programs, etc.). Claiming that public television is not really public and doesn't reach the audience it's supposed to reach, Davidovich is high on cable as alternative that offers artists the chance to have their work shown (without millions of dollars of expense). "Cable brings the arts directly into the home. One can relax and watch programs with an art content without having to go to a gallery or museum. And we at Soho TV are creating out own outlet rather than relying on broadcasters to show our work." Jaime Davidovich prefers the showing of art tapes over cable tv rather than in the closed, insular spaces. "Now we're right out in the open - we're in everybody's home - the public is watching our work. Some love it, others hate it. Some people are angry, but we're getting noticed at last! We're ready to accept bouquets or slaps in the face. At present we still have a hostile environment, but eventually we'll have the people on our side. "Surprizingly [[Surprisingly]], the Village Voice, purportedly interested in the arts, covered both Cable Soho and Soho Television's efforts by not-so-subtly panning individual programs. I would rather salute the effort of bringing art programming into the home and let the public decide whether or not programs bear watching." ATN is already looking to the future, when it will have its own transmission capability, so that it can be on the air as an arts channel 24 hours a day. "Out basic philosophy is that we don't believe in the ivory tower concept for artists. We have the responsibility to show art. Some people will like it, others won't. Of course, the general public prefers the familiar, but, before long, our work will be familiar to them," Davidovich said. HBO studio productions inc. *Personalized Pre-Production Planning *Multi-Camera Studio Production *Ultra-Modern Control Room *Frame Computer Editing - Editec Editing *16mm and 35mm Film to Tape/Cassette Transfers *Multi Duplication and Distribution *On Location Taping *Private Screening Room Servicing a list of distinguished clients in COMMUNICATIONS, BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY 120 A East 23rd Street New York, New York 10010 (212) 477-8600 Get more Info. Circle Reader Card No.134 August 1978 71
