Paper Tiger Television
Paper Tiger Television is a public-access television series created in 1981 by a New York–based media collective led by DeeDee Halleck. Produced with a low-budget, do-it-yourself aesthetic, the series features artists, scholars, and activists critically examining mainstream media, often by analyzing newspapers, magazines, or television content on camera. Distributed through public-access channels and grassroots networks, the program became an influential example of alternative media, promoting media literacy and challenging corporate control of information.
Episodes
Runtime: 30m
Media scholar Herbert Schiller analyzes The New York Times, examining how its structure and content shape political and cultural narratives.
Runtime: 30m
Joan Braderman critiques tabloid journalism through The National Enquirer, focusing on sensationalism and narrative construction
Runtime: 30m
Stuart Ewen examines The New York Post, analyzing its presentation of morality, authority, and popular culture.
Runtime: 30m
Economist Bill Tabb critiques economic reporting in U.S. News & World Report, focusing on how financial narratives are framed.
Runtime: 30m
Poet Tuli Kupferberg analyzes Rolling Stone, examining its political positioning and cultural messaging.
Runtime: 30m
Artist Martha Rosler critiques Vogue, focusing on consumer culture, gender roles, and advertising imagery.
Runtime: 30m
Archie Singham examines Foreign Policy magazine, analyzing its perspectives on global power and elite networks.
Runtime: 30m
Joel Kovel critiques Life magazine, exploring how it constructs narratives of American life and social reality.
Runtime: 30m
Stanley Aronowitz analyzes labor coverage in The New York Times, focusing on representation of workers and unions.
Runtime: 30m
Elayne Rapping examines romance novels, exploring their themes, audience, and cultural significance.
Runtime: 30m
Richie Perez critiques the film Fort Apache, The Bronx, focusing on its portrayal of urban communities and policing.
Runtime: 30m
Patty Zimmerman analyzes Variety, examining the film industry’s trade press and its framing of Hollywood.
Runtime: 30m
Pearl Bowser explores early Black cinema through the work of Oscar Micheaux, examining its historical significance.
Runtime: 30m
Renee Tajima critiques representations of Asian Americans in film, focusing on stereotypes such as Charlie Chan.
Runtime: 30m
Marc Crispin Miller analyzes cigarette advertising, examining persuasive techniques and cultural messaging.
Runtime: 30m
Jean Franco examines Mexican popular literature, analyzing gender roles and cultural narratives.
Runtime: 30m
Flo Kennedy critiques U.S. media coverage of apartheid South Africa, focusing on omissions and framing.
Runtime: 30m
Noam Chomsky analyzes The New York Times’ coverage of the Middle East, examining language and political framing.
Runtime: 30m
Thulani Davis examines media coverage of racial violence, focusing on the Howard Beach incident.
Runtime: 30m
Donna Haraway critiques National Geographic’s portrayal of primates, exploring scientific narratives and ideology.
Runtime: 30m
Martha Rosler examines media coverage of a high-profile custody case, analyzing themes of commodification and morality.
Runtime: 30m
Fred Landis analyzes The Washington Times, focusing on its ownership and ideological influence.
Runtime: 30m
This program documents activist strategies combining protest and education to promote social change.
Runtime: 30m
The film examines the development and dismantling of higher education programs within U.S. prisons.
Runtime: 30m
Historians Howard Zinn and James Loewen critique the teaching of American history, focusing on omissions and narrative bias.
