Robservations on the media beat:
Chicago's Media Burn Independent Video Archive has received a $459,150 grant from the Council on Library Resources to collaborate with the University of Chicago on digitizing hundreds of previously unseen videotapes from the 1970s. In addition to Media Burn's content, the new Guerrilla Television Network will include work from Appalshop, Community TV Network, Experimental TV Center, Kartemquin Films and New Orleans Video Access Center. The grant marks a significant expansion for the nonprofit treasure founded in 2003 by legendary Chicago producer Tom Weinberg. Executive director Sara Chapman said it's vital to preserve and make available guerrilla videotape from the 1970s because "it represents such innovative and singular content that is imminently going to be lost and forever forgotten," adding: "It will be a significant step towards elevating these under-recognized works to the place they deserve in cultural history." Continue reading