Site Reporter, London, 30 May 2017
‘CCTVTV’, a new channel devoted to streaming live footage from closed-circuit cameras – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – will launch in January for cable and satellite customers.
Its content will be curated by a revolving team of specialists, selected from across the arts and security services. These ‘guest editors’ will identify a number of entertaining and “creatively interesting” cameras from around the globe for constant broadcast, allowing viewers to switch between locations using the ‘red button’.
CEO Megan Vaughan explained that the idea had come to her while visiting rehearsals for a new work by Nathaniel Martello White for The Site at the Royal Court: “I’d been popping in and out of rehearsals at The Site for a few weeks, but it was when the sound of the zip on a bumbag made everyone fall about laughing that I suddenly realised – audiences are missing out on some of the most enjoyable experiences of spectatorship available; those practice moments, when guards are down and failure is always a risk worth taking. It is through watching people living their lives – quietly persevering, over and over – that we see the reality of graft, and the mundanity of struggle. It’s a reminder that this life matters, that it’s all worth the effort.”
Continuing her speech after the technicians had cut the PA system, Vaughan grew emotional about the new project: “In Shopping and Fucking, right, by Mark Ravenhill, right, back in the nineties, right, there’s this bit where Robbie says that all our grand narratives are done, over. Religion, Socialism – all lost. ‘But they all died or the world grew up or grew senile or forgot them, so now we’re all making up our own stories. Little stories.’ Or something like that anyhow… I forget the exact words. But anyway that’s what this channel does – that’s what CCTVTV does for the world… It shares the little stories… The moments of confusion and connection and determination that I saw in those rehearsals, and which we all enact every day when they think no-one’s looking. Well, I’m looking! CCTVTV is looking! We see you!!”
Vaughan was removed from the party soon afterwards due to ‘exhaustion’, but The Site News got the scoop from channel investors during the champagne reception. One anonymous donor told us she was proud to be supporting “the next generation of reality telly, and the first new channel in a decade to rival YouTube for quality”, before adding “plus it’s cheap”.
The Site News looks forward to making and watching some little stories of our own!