Did the Web help create the reality TV boom?
Reality television started a long time ago – An American Family aired in the ’70s, and MTV’s Real World predates the Web. But I think they’re related phenomena. Shows like The Osbournes are very voyeuristic, and that’s a big part of the Web experience. Elements of the Web are creeping into the physical world, whether as gadget interfaces or larger environments. My goal is to develop content once and distribute it across many media: the Web, PDAs, cell phones, watches. And environments, too. The Reuters sign is probably the best example because it’s live data. We’re working on a similar digital sign project for Fashion Show – a 1.8-million-square-foot shopping destination on the Vegas strip. What’s the downside of all this? I particularly notice the loss of the individual creator. There used to be one person sitting in front of millions of dollars of equipment – now there are eight people working collaboratively. This is one reason I collect outsider art – to remind myself of the import
