[The 90’s raw: Ian Mitroff interview]

American Way, Nancy Cain

This tape features raw footage for the award-winning TV series The 90’s. It features an interview with author and University of Southern California professor Ian Mitroff. Mitroff discusses television and its effect on politics and public discourse, saying, “TV has become a self-sealing universe… a culture. There’s too much garbage on TV but you can’t turn it off… how do you turn off a culture?” and “The kids have gotten the message in this society which is… ‘Say yes to consumption in endless amounts.’ That’s the real message, and that’s what TV is really about in this country. It’s tied to consumerism, not even entertainment… it’s all consumerism.” Commenting on the television news’ reliance on political sound bites: “If [Abraham Lincoln] were around today he would be reduced to ‘Read my lips: no more slavery.'”