Times Magazine Interview: Umberto Eco
Monday, November 26th, 2007
While I have ragged on The New York Times in multiple entries in the past, one of my favorite pieces of reading materials is the Sunday Times Magazine. The magazine encapsulates some of the major issues facing the world today without committing to some of the bloviating that goes on in the regular paper. I have to confess that I also enjoy the interviews because they are free online. This week’s interview subject was Umberto Eco, an Italian political philosopher who laments the growth of media consolidation in Italy.
Eco’s attacks on former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi reveal his belief that media consolidation is a major demon in his native country. In the interview, however, the Times writer seems to bypass the fact that America is undergoing similar problems. Eco acknowledges that his specific concerns are peculiar to Italy though the Federal Communications Commission has certainly done a lot toward deregulating media markets. I think the responsibility for this oversight falls on Times writer Deborah Solomon.
One other issue I have with the interview with Umberto Eco is the type of questions that Solomon pursues about Eco’s literary background. The written word does not easily lend itself to transcribing discussions but I got the impression that Eco was agitated. Solomon asks whether he would care if anyone read his book 100 years from now. Eco gave a curt answer that essentially said that writers need to care about their work to ensure the creation of something significant. I am toying with the idea of making a review of the Times magazine a regular fixture each Monday. If anyone has any input, I would love to hear it.
