By Phoebe Bronstein
Daily Bruin Contributor
For everyone who has always loved magazines but never liked to
read, there’s a new kind of periodical.
A magazine called SubstanceTV presents everything one would see
in a standard paper magazine: music, documentaries, art, but
putting it all on a DVD. The publication runs 10 times a year and a
subscription costs $20.
Unlike many other magazines, however, SubstanceTV gears itself
not towards mainstream media but rather towards topics that receive
little media attention.
“SubstanceTV aims at what is below the surface of
mainstream media,” says Mike Wilson, CEO and one of the
founders of the company.
SubstanceTV, based out of Texas, began two years ago after
Wilson, Jim Bloom, Rick Stults, Doug Myres and Harry Miller,
decided that their friends, and more generally the people of their
generation ““ Generation X ““ were not addressed by the
mainstream media.
“We’re a lost generation of people that has never
been seen as adults by adults. We’re still viewed as gamers
and skaters,” Wilson said.
After selling his other company, God Games, Wilson took his
staff and threw them into the production of something entirely new.
They aimed to do something that had never been done before, a
magazine unlike all others, a magazine on DVD.
According to Wilson, DVDs are in approximately 25 percent of all
the households and is one of the most rapidly growing industries.
He hopes to take advantage of this growing trend.
In creating this DVD Magazine, SubstanceTV hopes to address this
generation as adults for the first time. He wants to spark interest
in what he sees as artists who have not been acknowledged by
mainstream society.
“The artists of the future are right there,” Wilson
said.
Wilson sees the magazine as a navigator in what he describes as
a wide eyed exploration of the arts. He aims to include an eclectic
selection of documentaries and music.
SubstanceTV The first issue of SubstanceTV is currently
available, and features an article on one of the largest
independent record stores in the country. The magazine will publish
10 times a year.
“This magazine aims to be an outlet for bands and artist
who might not otherwise have exposure,” said Bloom,
SubstanceTV’s executive producer and co-founder.
Under fluffy pop music and action movies, there is a
counter-culture of art and media that Wilson wants to bring to the
attention of the public. The magazine features small clips of
documentaries, entire music videos, and photography.
In the first edition of the magazine, there is a documentary
describing the life of a record store. “The Last Record
Store” focuses on one of the largest independent record
stores in the country. In addition there is a documentary
discussing the events of Sept. 11. The music videos range from
Latino pop music to a video done solely in computer animation.
“We’re not interested in showing the same Britney
Spears video you can see on MTV; we’re looking for something
unique,” Bloom said.
SubstanceTV The SubstanceTV DVD magazine will feature music
videos not currently embraced by the mainstream media, especially
artists who cannot afford exposure on the likes of MTV. Wilson
realizes that most artists who are not among the top 50 are not
played on MTV. He aims to expose those artists who cannot afford
this kind of exposure. In essence, SubstanceTV aims to create a new
version of MTV. According to Wilson, MTV has become too political,
and gives preference to those artists that can afford to buy their
way onto television.
SubstanceTV offers merely a glance at the art in its original
form. The company wants people to think for themselves.
“The magazine is a wide-eyed exploration of art, there is
no preference, no politics, no editorializing,” Wilson
said.
And it’s definitely one of a kind.
“SubstanceTV wants to avoid a network mentality,”
Bloom said. “There’s no Tom Brokaw, summing it all up
for you. We’re trying to create an environment that allows
people to think for themselves, to hear the facts and understand
both sides.”
DVD: SubstanceTV publishes 10 times a year.
Subscriptions are $20. The first issue is currently available. For
more information go to www.substance.tv.