A series exploring the media “input” of a group of people — our commercial semiotician colleagues, from around the world — whose “output” we admire.

Berlin…

SEMIOVOX

What forms of media do you “take in” the most regulary / frequently, during a typical day or week?

ANTJE WEISSENBORN

Every day, I read an online newspaper from Berlin to stay informed about politics, economy, culture, and local events. On weekends, I listen to a science radio show in the car or as podcasts about new research findings from various fields. I’m not only interested in the content, but it’s also enjoyable to listen to how the hosts conduct interviews with humor and genuine curiosity, making everything understandable and entertaining.

During the week, I browse the ARTE media library, the German-French TV channel, for quirky topics from my favorite show Tracks. There, I often find intriguing pieces about subcultures, music, and alternative artists from around the world. Without this show, I would probably never have heard of Egg Punk, jam sessions with organic vibrations, or the differences between the techno scenes in Beijing and Taipei. 😊

Another weekly highlight is the film magazine Blow Up on ARTE, which offers original analyses of film clips on specific themes like “The Bathtub,” “The Desert,” or “Disco Music in Film.” By the way, both shows on ARTE are available with English subtitles — highly recommended!

SEMIOVOX

What’s the best movie you have seen recently?

ANTJE WEISSENBORN

Among several good films I’ve seen recently, Better Man stands out in particular. In this music biopic, Robbie Williams is portrayed as a chimpanzee, reflecting his self-perception as a “show monkey.” The character, equipped with the singer’s voice and facial expressions, fascinated me. After a short time, I forgot that I was watching a chimpanzee and not Robbie Williams himself. I was also impressed by how the film portrayed ecstasy and downfall, along with the fantastic choreography to the songs. I felt emotionally engaged, and I enjoyed captivating scenes and images while listening to great music — a thoroughly successful cinema experience.

SEMIOVOX

What work of literature (old or new) would you recommend to someone trying to make sense of today’s world?

ANTJE WEISSENBORN

For me, Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy is an enlightening and thought-provoking book. It’s a young adult novel about a girl who receives mysterious letters with thought exercises and goes through a course on the history of philosophy. It addresses timeless questions like “Who are you?”, “Where does the world come from?” or “What is a human?” in an engaging narrative.

SEMIOVOX

Anything else you’d like to share?

ANTJE WEISSENBORN

An original and intelligent book that satisfies my interest in crime and detective stories, as well as investigations and semiotics, is Pierre Bayard’s Who Killed Roger Ackroyd?: The Mystery Behind the Agatha Christie Mystery. This is a literary detective work with solid psychoanalytic and literary scholarly perspectives. Bayard reexamines the classic crime story and argues that the author’s conclusion, that the narrator is the murderer, may not be correct. For him, the alleged murderer is a presumed victim of detective Poirot’s manipulations. In his works, Bayard humorously and analytically points out inconsistencies by authors in their fictional works. He encourages readers to question things more closely, adopt different perspectives, and pursue more unconventional paths — which aligns with our goals as semioticians.

MEDIA DIET: GIANLLUCA SIMI (Brazil) | HIBATO BEN AHMED (France) | MARIE LENA TUPOT (USA) | EUGENE GORNY (Thailand) | YOGI HENDLIN (Netherlands / USA) | INKA CROSSWAITE (Germany / South Africa) | SÓNIA MARQUES (Portugal) | ĽUDMILA LACKOVÁ BENNETT (Czechia) | BRIAN KHUMALO (USA / South Africa) | JIAKUN WANG (Shanghai) | FRANCISCO HAUSS (China / Mexico) | ASHLEY MAURITZEN (England) | STEFANIA GOGNA (Italy) | BECKS COLLINS (England) | ANTJE WEISSENBORN (Germany) | MARIANE CARA (Brazil) | MARTHA ARANGO (Sweden) | PAULINA GOCH-KENAWY (Poland) | COCO WU (Singapore / China) | JOSH GLENN (USA) | JENNIFER VASILACHE (Switzerland) | ANDREA BASUNTI (England) | SARAH JOHNSON (Canada) | MARIA PAPANTHYMOU (Greece) | VICTORIA GERSTMAN (Scotland).

Also see these global semio series: MAKING SENSE (Q&As) | SEMIOFEST SESSIONS (monthly mini-conferences) | COVID CODES | SEMIO OBJECTS | COLOR CODEX | DECODER (fictional semioticians) | CASE FILE | PHOTO OP | MEDIA DIET | TATTOO YOU (semioticians’ tattoos).