I really should get cable one of these days.

Yes, this is art. It's good that it gets...maybe even more press attention than the finale of Everybody Loves Raymond.

The news stories themselves aren't examples of public interest in art, if that's what you want to call it, it's that The Sopranos has become a true household name to an extent that's relatively rare in contemporary television. The papers are simply covering what has turned into a relatively major cultural event.

What was the news coverage like when Seinfeld ended? I imagine it was similar.

I don't follow the objection in 3. They're evidence of public interest in art, as long as you allow that The Sopranos is art, which I certainly do.

3 works as a claim that any credit for enlightement goes to the public who got involved in the show, rather than the news media for its coverage. The news media was just following the popularity, the public actually exhibited good taste.

3 is wrong. For about three hundred years, bestselling narrative has been as much a media event as it's been High Aht.

That said, the broad public has always been interested in art; it's just that the chattering classes don't trust the public's taste. I'd say that all Ogged is noticing is that the chatterers are interested in this particular bestselling narrative because it bridges that gap.

I thought it because if the papers didn't talk about TV, they might actually have to report some news.

6 seems right to me. A jaundiced reading* of ogged's question would rephrase it as: "Is 10 million viewers so many that we should cease to consider The Sopranos to be art"? (Unlike the less successful, and therefore more artistic, The Wire.)

If I'm reading 3 correctly, Matt F is suggesting that the public wasn't reacting to the Sopranos finale as art, and offers as evidence the (correct) supposition that the public reacted similarly to the the Seinfeld finale. Problem with that is, Seinfeld was also art by any definition I'd use.

*I realize I'm not being fair to ogged's intent here. The question, as stated, emphasized how few people 10 million is, not how many.

I note that the media coverage of The Sopranos is no deeper, thoughtful, or better informed than media coverage of, say, the immigration bill.

I like that Matt is too young to remember the Seinfeld finale.

9: And therein lies the real tragedy.

B, you are in high dudgeon today. Maybe less well represented in this thread than the others, but I'm a little scared to point it out in them.

If I'm reading 3 correctly, Matt F is suggesting that the public wasn't reacting to the Sopranos finale as art, and offers as evidence the (correct) supposition that the public reacted similarly to the the Seinfeld finale. Problem with that is, Seinfeld was also art by any definition I'd use.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I just meant that the news stories in and of themselves aren't a victory for public interest in art. Any victory lies in the actual popularity of the show, irrespective of whether or not the New York Times puts an article about the finale on the front page of their website.

irrespective of whether or not the New York Times puts an article about the finale on the front page of their website

I don't know. The Times, maligned though it may be, still sets the news agenda, and if they say that a TV show is newsworthy, I think more publications are likely to treat other TV shows as newsworthy.

9: From what I've seen of the MSM coverage, I want to argue that it demonstrates the genuine value of having an MSM. I thought MSM coverage was well thought-through and intelligent - and it is merely a coincidence that the MSM take (the finale was pretty great) mirrors my own opinion. Here's a summary of the coverage (and I have to apologize for not knowing how to do the link embedding thing).

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003596823

if they say that a TV show is newsworthy, I think more publications are likely to treat other TV shows as newsworthy.

Sure, but this kind of coverage only happens after a show attains a certain level of cultural significance. I don't think it will encourage the creation of more of these types of shows, or cause more people to watch them. The driving forces at the front end will remain the critics and just general word of mouth.

B. Has a fantastic dudgeon on her. Mmmmmmmm. I'd hit that dudgeon in a New York second.

12: I am? I thought I was just procrastinating.

18: procrastinating with dudgeon and vim.

17 would constitute harassment, if I were in any way intimidated by John's masculinity. Lucky for John I see him as a eunuch.

It seems like a reasonably non-sexist compliment to me.

As befitting a eunuch. Drunk on aquavit.

19: I feel no rancor, and the only urgency nipping my heels is that I must procrastinate quickly! Because I have an article to finish! Any minute now!

And now I'm the most recent commenter in all the threads except the Charley Carp one, and I haven't yet read his piece so I can't comment there. Victory is mine! I can go write with a clear conscience.

God I'm fucked up.

So wait, by commenting I can actually make you procrastinate more? Wow!

I'm mad with power!

Culture? I'm reaching for my gun...

See if I ever compliment B's tasty dudgeon again. I can't keep people on the dudgeon-porn blogs from picking her up , though.

Sifu, you bastard, I finished the thing just to spite you.

Thanks! Precisely the motivation I needed!