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24-03-2008, 08:07 PM
| | New Member | | Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 12
| |  do wildlife presenters go too far?
I've seen a few things on television recently which have made me wonder whether the BBC's wildlife programmes put the grab for ratings and cheap fixes ahead of the welfare of their subjects. For example, on 'Johnny's New Kingdom', a Roe deer kid just days old was approached far too closely by Johnny himself, a deer 'expert', the cameraman and soundman, who then hung around it for far too long, with the doe no doubt going frantic somewhere off-screen. What on earth did such an intrusive shot achieve? I for one would have preferred a longer-range shot of a mother and calf calmly going about their business, unperturbed and unmolested.
What has happened to skilled and patient willdife presenters these days? Wildlife shows, like so much of our televison, has become about quick fixes with an expert hurriedly drawn in to point out to a slighly unbalanced presenter with a personality quirk exactly where to sit and when to obtain the perfect 'money shot'.
The BBC attracts large viewing figures and has a great deal of potential to influence people's attitude and behaviour towards animals, for better or worse. I think they should start showing a little more responsibility and respect towards their animal subjects.   |
24-03-2008, 08:27 PM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northants
Posts: 5,357
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Yes, and Bill Oddie is the worst for this. He was holding a bird and running around like a nutter and the poor creature looked terrified. He does this a lot It puts you off watching them..  |
24-03-2008, 09:27 PM
| | Wild Member | | Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 113
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kayleigh  Yes, and Bill Oddie is the worst for this. He was holding a bird and running around like a nutter and the poor creature looked terrified. He does this a lot It puts you off watching them.. | I'm not much of a Johnny K fan. I do love his enthusiasm but he comes across as a bit of a tit (maybe that is just down to his enthusiasm??). And in a recent program he spent most of it chasing a herd of Red Deer (this first on his land) all over the place in a 4x4. I wonder if they'll ever come back? |
25-03-2008, 12:11 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Swansea, S.Wales
Posts: 1,141
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kayleigh Yes, and Bill Oddie is the worst for this. He was holding a bird and running around like a nutter and the poor creature looked terrified. He does this a lot It puts you off watching them.. | I agree Kayleigh, and he's supposed to be one of the goodies.
Welcome to the site James, nice to have you on board, 
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25-03-2008, 09:34 AM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Andover
Posts: 994
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Here we go again. Well done Kayleigh, the first reply and you mention the Oddie straight away  
BWD
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25-03-2008, 10:23 AM
| | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lincoln
Posts: 454
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Weigh the good against the bad. Both of the people mentioned have made a tremendous contribution into the promotion of wildlife in this country.
Colin |
25-03-2008, 11:24 AM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: N.E.SOMERSET
Posts: 6,815
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Johnny Kingdom is a real "Mr Bean" he blunders around in an irresponsible way the Roe deer kid was a prime example,he all but dribbled on it,and now he keeps referring to "my land" where he has built a Badger Fairground and felled more trees than the Forestry Commission his leaking lake project makes this a wildlife comedy.
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25-03-2008, 02:00 PM
| | Wild Member | | Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 110
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Quote:
Originally Posted by james bennet ......... a Roe deer kid just days old was approached far too closely by Johnny himself, a deer 'expert', the cameraman and soundman, who then hung around it for far too long, with the doe no doubt going frantic somewhere off-screen. What on earth did such an intrusive shot achieve? I for one would have preferred a longer-range shot of a mother and calf calmly going about their business, unperturbed and unmolested....... | Well said - if Johnny wants to present wildlife responsibly he should be cautioniing the public to stay well away from young roe not fawning (sorry) over them.
Cheers
mac |
26-03-2008, 06:01 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Nr Lincoln Lincs
Posts: 592
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
I love to watch Johnny, but thought he went a bit far last night sending that noisy 'tankcam' down into the Badgers set, saying they must be as quiet as possible, then after it got stuck and it was yanked out both men seemed to forget and talked/laughed really loud, sounds which must have been amplified into the set, it's a wonder the Badgers don't leave home, most of the time he's ok though and enjoyable to watch and along with Bill Oddie, doesn't take himself too seriously like some presenters do, which again can spoil things when they want to be the stars and not the wildlife. |
27-03-2008, 01:51 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Scotland
Posts: 3,375
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Some of them go too far and Bill Oddie doesn't go far enough for me, Siberia would do. (not generally an Oddie fan) |
27-03-2008, 03:24 PM
| | Active Member | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lancashire
Posts: 59
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
General opinion seems to be that Johnny K is enthusiastic but not too knowledable, while Bill Oddie knows his stuff but acts daft.
What does everyone think about Chris Packham, I like his programmes but he can sometimes come across a bit aloof. |
27-03-2008, 04:24 PM
| | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northants
Posts: 5,357
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Quote:
Originally Posted by tony a General opinion seems to be that Johnny K is enthusiastic but not too knowledable, while Bill Oddie knows his stuff but acts daft.
What does everyone think about Chris Packham, I like his programmes but he can sometimes come across a bit aloof. | I agree about JK, I like watching Oddie but when he puts the camera before the wildlife (like the time he was ringing barn owls) he kept them out of the box far too long just for the cameras.
I don't like Packham but I like the wildlife, so I put up with him. He doesn't act like the other two though which is a good thing. |
28-03-2008, 02:19 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Barnsley
Posts: 875
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Nobody rate Alan Titchmarsh, then? |
28-03-2008, 03:16 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Belvedere, Kent
Posts: 2,387
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Quote:
Originally Posted by oxycera Nobody rate Alan Titchmarsh, then? | Still don't think of him as a wildlife presenter, but no, I didn't think he was very good on Nature of Britain.
Did anyone see That Mitchell & Webb Look last night? There was a nice little skit about a United Nations summit where it was decided that they would abandon the war on terror (because "it's too hard"). They were looking for a new target to turn the world's military forces against, one that "all nations can agree on". They finally settled on Bill Oddie!
Dave P.
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28-03-2008, 03:20 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kent
Posts: 1,614
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Interesting Thread this one...
While i agree with some of whats been said... I think people seem to of forgotten that most of these things were filmed over a long period of time and then cut and spliced together to make it look like a quick fix. It is done to make the programme informative, interesting and to show people wildlife they would normally never see.
These camera men <even JK > will sit for Hours and sometimes days to get these shots.
Its all about the TV company getting fewing figures..
Those on here who spend hours out sitting in all weathers will know what i mean.
My favourite is still David Attenborough followed by Simon King
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29-03-2008, 12:36 PM
| | New Member | | Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 10
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Quote:
Originally Posted by james bennet I've seen a few things on television recently which have made me wonder whether the BBC's wildlife programmes put the grab for ratings and cheap fixes ahead of the welfare of their subjects. For example, on 'Johnny's New Kingdom', a Roe deer kid just days old was approached far too closely by Johnny himself, a deer 'expert', the cameraman and soundman, who then hung around it for far too long, with the doe no doubt going frantic somewhere off-screen. What on earth did such an intrusive shot achieve? I for one would have preferred a longer-range shot of a mother and calf calmly going about their business, unperturbed and unmolested. | Well, what you forget Roe kids will lie low and duck in the grass (Like, say, a Hare) Rather than sprinting at the first sign of danger.
I could take you out when the kids are start to flop out and get you within 6 meters of one without a lot of problem (though finding it to start off with might prove more of a challenge)
But, like a Hedgehog curling in front of car lights it's their nature, and you do occasionally have the problem of large tractor mounted hedge cleaning/trimming/toppering machinery catching the odd roe kid who hid in till
it's last. |
29-03-2008, 01:01 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Scotland
Posts: 3,375
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Quote:
Originally Posted by oxycera Nobody rate Alan Titchmarsh, then? | Persoanlly I like Alan. I know he's a gardener but he has a lot of enthusiasm and doesn't prattle on or try to be funny. His relaxing style wins me over. |
29-03-2008, 01:31 PM
|  | Active Member | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: The Ponderosa
Posts: 93
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Quote:
Originally Posted by tony a General opinion seems to be that Johnny K is enthusiastic but not too knowledable, while Bill Oddie knows his stuff but acts daft.
What does everyone think about Chris Packham, I like his programmes but he can sometimes come across a bit aloof. | Just heard on the radio that Chris Packham has said that Pandas should be left to become extinct . Can't find any more about it, but I suspect we'll all be hearing about it soon ............ |
29-03-2008, 02:52 PM
| | Active Member | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lancashire
Posts: 59
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Quote: |
Just heard on the radio that Chris Packham has said that Pandas should be left to become extinct . Can't find any more about it, but I suspect we'll all be hearing about it soon ............
| I heard something similar from Chris Packham. The gist being, why put time and effort into preserving declining species and habitats, when they are inevitably / probably going to die out. I suppose red and grey squirrels would be an example.
Don't know if I agree. |
29-03-2008, 02:59 PM
| | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northants
Posts: 5,357
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Quote:
Originally Posted by tony a I heard something similar from Chris Packham. The gist being, why put time and effort into preserving declining species and habitats, when they are inevitably / probably going to die out. I suppose red and grey squirrels would be an example.
Don't know if I agree. | Why should we just sit back and let some species die out. We are the cause of these things happening..So we just let all our wildlife die off like the dodo  |
29-03-2008, 05:40 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Barnsley
Posts: 875
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Back to presenters, what about the late, great Michael Clegg.
Still have 'Clegg's People' on video - superb entertainment. |
29-03-2008, 06:21 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Shepshed, Leicestershire
Posts: 814
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Don't suppose J Kingdom cares a damn what we think, for someone who at the beginning of his series, by his own admission, had next to nothing, to now own a fair chunk of countryside and drive around in a brand new Jeep Cherokee, is not bad for someone who couldnt make a decent video if his life depended on it. It might be better if the BBC used the footage by the pro cameraman who accompanies him, and keep him well away from anything vulnerable, or better still, let him go back to poaching, I'm sure he didnt do much damage to wildlife in those days, judging by his TV performances. I know, I'm an old cynic.
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29-03-2008, 06:24 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Shepshed, Leicestershire
Posts: 814
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Pardon my manners James, welcome to WAB, Keith
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29-03-2008, 11:50 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Lancashire
Posts: 1,575
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
Quote:
Originally Posted by tony a General opinion seems to be that Johnny K is enthusiastic but not too knowledable, while Bill Oddie knows his stuff but acts daft.
What does everyone think about Chris Packham, I like his programmes but he can sometimes come across a bit aloof. | C.Packham certainly knows his onions, but I find him rather irritating. He tries too hard in front of the camera. I much prefer the natural style of Simon King and David Attenborough - in that order.
Regards, Chris |
30-03-2008, 12:45 AM
| | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 327
| | | Re: do wildlife presenters go too far?
The way I look at it, anything that gets natural history more visible is ok by me. I can put up with the buffoonery and larking about. It works by persistence - eventually people take note. As to JK his enthusiasm is brilliant. The others know their stuff - especially Mr O and CP. I like to see natural history programmes on TV and so do my children and we do need kids interested so if it takes Bill to prat around then so be it.
Might be the single malt talking......!
Regards
Jon | |
