"It is the function of television to impose silence upon the people''—Monika Hielscher and Matthias Heeder end their film with this short statement.

Tell-A-Vision investigates the role of private cable TV in Italy since its introduction in 1976. What set out to give local groups the opportunity to contribute to the daily spectrum of TV entertainment and information, has turned into a sad and dull competition, which is dominated by its commercial aspects.

Interviews and diagrams play counterpoint to long slow tracking shots of beautiful old cities, showing the fatal 'network' that has emerged from idealistic beginnings, to bring home to us | how poor the "vision" is we are being offered.