JOURNAL ARTICLE

'That's good': An industrial, ethics-focused analysis of the televised works of Anthony Bourdain.

  • Published In: Critical Studies in Television, 2023, v. 18, n. 4. P. 350 1 of 3

  • Database: Humanities Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Beattie, Melissa 3 of 3

Abstract

This article examines the travel and food television series created by Anthony Bourdain through the lens of industry and ethics, focusing on the tensions between neoliberal media imperatives and documentary ethical obligations. It analyzes how the production teams negotiated the representation of diverse cultures and marginalized communities with a commitment to ethical accuracy and protection, while simultaneously employing strategies associated with "quality TV" to attract and retain audiences. The paper also highlights the complex dual role of Bourdain as both practitioner and subject, revealing ethical challenges related to his well-being amid pressures of neoliberal capitalism and media production demands. Ultimately, the series balanced industrial and ethical concerns in portraying others but exhibited ethical slippage regarding Bourdain himself, especially in relation to his mental health struggles and eventual suicide.

Additional Information

  • Source:Critical Studies in Television. 2023/12, Vol. 18, Issue 4, p350
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Biography
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:17496020
  • DOI:10.1177/17496020231168067
  • Accession Number:173701313
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Critical Studies in Television is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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