TV Natural History Documentaries?

[Hobjob]

I suspect that the attention that global warming is receiving is also making people much more aware of the fragility of our invironment, coupled with the excellent wildlife TV series.

People also have much more leisure time, and increasing awareness of the need to maintain health, much more spending power coupled with the releative reduction in the cost of binos and cameras.

Schools no longer teach biology as I was taught 45 years ago, it is taught in relation to the whole ecology, interdependency etc..

Thre are also vastly more reserves around, which some of us oldies may in sense regret, in that we regret they are necessary as we remember the flocks of birds on the winter stubble, thick luxuriant hedgerows, farm ponds etc. etc..

and so on ..........

[paulchandler6]

I have always watched NH documentaries on TV. So much better than all the rest of **** on TV.
As the environment is being bought to the forefront of the publics concern the majority of people have started to take an interest in wildlife and what goes on around them. Sadly not the majority of younger people. They still seemed to be gripped by the reality TV shows that abound at the moment.
Also the quality of wildlife film making is excellent these day and with a 1st class presentation make them so much more watchable..

Paul

[Peter_Naylor]

thank you everybody!!!!

[Andrew WCS]

Peter,

You may be interested to know that BBC's The Blue Planet is now touring the country as a live show.

It might be interesting for your dissertation to show how the shows are so popular that they are now even entering other areas of life...the show is playing at Wembley Arena, Nottingham Arena, Manchester GMEX and the concert halls in Cardiff and Birmingham.

More here video link

As a lover of all natural history shows, I think the reason we love them so much is purely because they are the best things on television. So much television these days is taken up with Pop Factor and X Idol or Big Celebrity's Brother Get Me Out Of Here that it's increasingly hard to find a reason to turn the television on.

Life in Cold Blood, The Blue Planet and Planet Earth are programmes which have been the labour of love for those of worked on them for many years (7 in the case of The Blue Planet). It comes across in what we see. Passion, love and dedication make for good television.

[Fritillary]

There was a nasty comentary about TV natural history programs this Sunday in Sunday Telegraph. Did somebody look at it? I found the newspaper in the train station and read it. The "journalist" (I just cannot remember the name) said that there was a saturation of natural history programs in TV , and that english people have an obsession with nature. The commentary made me to be angry and almost wanted to send a letter to the journalist.

As Stomperone (message 2) has very well said, there is a real obssesion about soups, dancing, singing and getting the perfect body, that the few well done natural history programs are like little islands to have a break of al tv rubbish.

And the reality is that english people are sadly loosing their love for nature and these wonderful programs may give some support to maintain or even increase the number of people interested in nature. We need more people interested if we want to conserve what we have in this momment.

[stripee]

Natural history documentaries are one of the more intelligent types of programmes...so much TV is almost unwatchable, well is unwatchable and although TV is about entertainment, information about the natural world can be brought to a wider audience who may never see the wildlife shown. It can help to develop more awareness of wildlife not just for the people involved with it professionally. Wildlife needs this interest for its survival. And as has been said, most of us have a need to relate to nature somehow.
Some people, though, see an interest in animals as unnatural, ie humans should always take priority,and they are worried that they may have to make sacrifices in their lifestyles or it's all preaching and hair shirts Although I agree with humans having needs obviously, unless we take care of our wildlife of which we are a part (not seperate!) then ultimately we will suffer. The young must engage with wildlife to carry on for future generations - it's very important that they are encouraged, and TV can help to do this...
Other countries may laugh at the British "love of animals" but actually young people in other countries are beginning to see the point as well. So I believe that wildlife TV progs are very, very important, as long as the quality is good

[Adam Cheeseman]

In addition to comments on the quality of today's television, I would also add that for many of the younger indoor orientated generations, even the British wildlife programmes are seen as 'exotic' just because kids don't get out and play and notice their surrounds as much as they used to 25-30+ years ago. Effectively, they have become totally detached from their natural surroundings and documentaries provide the escapism? and information for those with an interest in wildlife.

Cheers,

Adam

[Adam Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by Fritillary

The commentary made me to be angry and almost wanted to send a letter to the journalist.

Why almost? Go on, write one of those bristling Dear Sir letters!

Cheers,

Adam

[Fritillary]

mmm why not?? isnt it??

Well sometimes I stop because I am a foreigner and my english is not perfect, but finally, it will be nice that a foreigner complains about these "pseudojournalists"

I think as a journalist, people should have the intelligence of separating their personal views of the ones from society. But since I see in several newspapers, a lot of them dont have idea of what they do

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by Andrew WCS

You may be interested to know that BBC's The Blue Planet is now touring the country as a live show...the show is playing at Wembley Arena, Nottingham Arena, Manchester GMEX and the concert halls in Cardiff and Birmingham.

More here video link

Well I was certainly interested, got my tickets and went to the Wembley show last night. It was excellent - the huge screen brought the images to life in a way that the TV in the living room can't really manage and the BBC Concert Orchestra were outstanding. Plus (and don't tell Dan Salter) it was presented by Kate Humble!

So Andrew, you may have only made one post and then disappeared, but it was a quality contribution - thank-you!

Dave P.