Cultures in Orbit: Satellites and the Televisual

257 Pages·2006·4.107 MB·English

by  Lisa Parks

CulturesinOrbit
CONSOLE-INGPASSIONS
TELEVISION AND CULTURAL POWER
EditedbyLynnSpigel
Lisa Parks
Cultures in Orbit
Satellites and the Televisual
DUKE UNIVERSITY PRESS DURHAM AND LONDON
2005
©2005DukeUniversityPress
Allrightsreserved
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Inlovingmemoryofmygrandmother,
MarionMann.

Contents
Acknowledgments•ix
Introduction•1
1 Satellite Spectacular•21
OurWorldandtheFantasyofGlobalPresence
2 Satellite Footprints•47
ImparjatvandPostcolonialFlowsinAustralia
3 Satellite Witnessing•77
ViewsandCoverageoftheWarinBosnia
4 Satellite Archaeology•109
RemoteSensingCleopatrainEgypt
5 Satellite Panoramas•139
AstronomicalObservationandRemoteControl
Conclusion•167
Notes•185
Bibliography•213
Index•233

Acknowledgments
Thisprojectbegannearlyadecadeagoinagraduateseminar,andithas,
thankfully,mutatedandtransformedmanytimessincethen.Itoncetook
shapeasmyPh.D.dissertationintheDepartmentofCommunicationArts
at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where I was fortunate to work
withawonderfulmedleyofprofessorsandgraduatestudents,whomIwill
never be able to thank enough for creating such a stimulating place to
think,learn,andlive.FacultymembersJulieD’Acci,MicheleHilmes,Nick
Mirzoeff,JoEllenFair,DavidBordwell,VanceKepley,RobertMcChesney,
andJackKugelmassofferedwisdomandencouragementinandoutoftheir
courses,andinonewayoranothertheyhelpedspawnideasrelatedtothis
project.IamespeciallythankfultomyadviserandfriendJohnFiske,whose
jugglingofintellectualpursuits,politicalcommitments,andpopularplea-
suresdazzlemetothisdayandwhohelpedspinmeintotheorbitofwrit-
ing this book. Also instrumental was a sharp and lively cohort of fellow
graduatestudentsandfriendsatuw,Madison,includingDougBattema,
AnikoBodroghkozy,CarolynBronstein,PaulaChakravarrty,SteveClassen,
NormaCoates,JenniferFay,ShariGoldin,DerekKompare,ElanaLevine,
Daniel Marcus, Donald Mekiffe, Jason Mittell, Matthew Murray, Darrell
Newton,JeffSconce,ChrisSmith,TashaOren,andPamelaWilson.Mostof
allIthankMoyaLuckett,JennyThomas,KevinGlynn,AndrewFoster,and
GuvenSarginforremainingdearpalsovertheyears.Iamalsoextremely
grateful to Michael Kackman, whose insights and warmth are scattered
throughoutthesepages.
WhenImovedtotheDepartmentofFilmStudiesattheUniversityof
California,SantaBarbara,thisbookcontinuedtodevelopandtransform.
Mycolleaguesandstudentsherehavebeentremendouslygenerous,andI
amprivilegedtoworkwithpeopleofrareintelligence,kindness,andcol-
legiality.IamgratefultotheFilmStudiesfaculty:EdwardBranigan,Dana