Smithsonian Sells Out to Showtime Networks

Have a great idea for a documentary film? If your research leads you to the door of the Smithsonian Institution, you may be in for a rude surprise. According to the NY Times, "On March 9, Showtime and the Smithsonian announced the creation of Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture to develop television programming. Under the agreement, the joint venture has the right of first refusal to commercial documentaries that rely heavily on Smithsonian collections or staff. Those works would first have to be offered to Smithsonian on Demand, the cable channel that is expected to be the venture's first programming service." Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns said, "I find this deal terrifying. It feels like the Smithsonian has essentially optioned America's attic to one company, and to have access to that attic, we would have to be signed off with, and perhaps co-opted by, that entity." In response to criticism, Jeanny Kim, a vice president for media services for Smithsonian Business Ventures, said, "It's not our obligation to help independent filmmakers sell their wares to commercial broadcast and cable networks." Isn't this the pot calling the kettle black? Margaret Drain, a vice president for national programs at WGBH, said, "I'm outraged that a public institution would do a semiexclusive deal with a commercial broadcaster." The Smithsonian received $615,097,000 from Congress in 2006 to cover salaries, expenses, and facilities capital, and is requesting $644,394,000 for 2007. According to the Smithsonian 2007 budget request to Congress, "Some of the greatest works of art in this countryor the worldare at the Smithsonian. The Smithsonians art museums, the Freer, the Sackler, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the National Museum of African Art, the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York City, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery, and the National Portrait Gallery, collectively, are the third most visited art complex in the United States." The Smithsonian Institution also includes the Air and Space Museum and the National Zoo. And now, other than viewing the Smithsonian museums in person, their works may only be available to you though your paid cable subscription to Showtime.