The Anti-News Manifesto (2005), by Scott Ryan

1. We are at a critical point in natural, human, and animal existence.


2. MANIFESTO assumes that at this stage in culture, the only way to affect change is via the people.


3. MANIFESTO’s subject matter is focused on people with solutions.


4. Television Is a powerful medium with untapped potential. The potential to motivate us, to show us mirror images of ourselves, and to support our goals and dreams.


Our ultimate goal is to tap that potential. To communicate, entertain, challenge (yes, c-h-a-l-l-e-n-g-e) and interact with our audience rather than to just “blah” all over them.


5. Manifesto believes that there is a truth about ourselves, the people, that the media is not telling us. We’re a lot more ALIKE than they want us to believe.


The tenets of dramatic storytelling have led the networks in this direction: They want us to believe that we’re strikingly different. That we should be afraid of each other. This is how they build great conflict.


We believe it’s time for some accurate representations of everyday folks on television. Television to motivate, not to sedate.


6. There is a telescoping effect happening on our planet. Globally, things are happening at a faster rate than before. This applies to science, nature, communication, and almost every discipline that we interact with. We do not know the full ramifications of this now. We may not for several years. But, we must not sit back and await the storm. Proactivity is essential.


7. We want to [tag]change television[/tag]. We want television to be your friend. We are hereby instituting a new genre of television. The ‘anti-news’.


8. We want the other networks to follow our lead by programming an “anti-news” format/genre show.


Venice, California, January 30, 2006
Scott Ryan