Letter: World of hype

I ECHO Gavin Fleming's critique of the film awards circuit (Letters, 20 January) and the baffling absence of almost any but US and British films from the shortlist.

But this suspiciously preferential situation applies across many so-called artistic endeavours. Perhaps hype is the explanation; after all, it has been happening with pop music and its best-selling charts for decades.

Politics is certainly a feature; Nobel Prizes for literature are often statements reflecting on particular nations as much as they are awards for literary merit. As for what many call art, ie painting, the absurd price tags put upon many such efforts are products of super-hype. But maybe hype has always been around. It helps governments too, hence spin doctoring.

Ian Johnstone

Forman Drive

Peterhead