Autumnwatch on at a new time

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

I didnt read all of this thread but a lot of the criticism at the start of the thread was that it was pre recorded and notlive...but it clearly is still live as is the extra program after which im glad they have taken off of the 'red button' only slot.

I didnt watch it , but chris packham said it wasnt live in his radio times interview, going on to say that this was "because at 9pm its dark outside and there is limit to whats happening" as hes a presenter and on the production team i presume we knows what hes talking about

[tigger]

I really enjoyed it... It's not perfect but I really like Chris Packham as a presenter (geekiness and all) and Kate is very professional and manages to hold it all together well (in my opinion )

I got two mentions during the show. The Jackdaw question (on unsprung) and the short film of the wasp stealing the bee at the end of the program (which I actually missed cos I had popped to the loo! whoops!).

I agree that we could do without the red deer rut but overall I like the new format. I think it gives the team more to play with and allows them to interact more with us "the wildlife nuts" and find out what we have seen/done.

I for one will continue to send them my photos, films and questions over the next few weeks. Maybe others in WAB would like to do the same? That way we can help to spread the "wildlife" message around the UK. It's not just professionals who can help to do this... we can do our bit as well! Just imagine how great it would be if just one kid was inspired to do something for nature because of something he/she had seen on AW.

Keep up the good work AW! I'm looking forward to seeing how the series progresses during Autumn.

Jane

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by tigger

I really enjoyed it... It's not perfect but I really like Chris Packham as a presenter (geekiness and all) and Kate is very professional and manages to hold it all together well (in my opinion )

I got two mentions during the show. The Jackdaw question (on unsprung) and the short film of the wasp stealing the bee at the end of the program (which I actually missed cos I had popped to the loo! whoops!).

I agree that we could do without the red deer rut but overall I like the new format. I think it gives the team more to play with and allows them to interact more with us "the wildlife nuts" and find out what we have seen/done.

I for one will continue to send them my photos, films and questions over the next few weeks. Maybe others in WAB would like to do the same? That way we can help to spread the "wildlife" message around the UK. It's not just professionals who can help to do this... we can do our bit as well! Just imagine how great it would be if just one kid was inspired to do something for nature because of something he/she had seen on AW.

Keep up the good work AW! I'm looking forward to seeing how the series progresses during Autumn.

Jane

i see where you folks are coming from on the deer rut - but remember we've already seen it all before on previous autumn watches - if you look at it from the perspective of "just one kid who was inspired to do something for nature because of something he/she had seen on AW" then may be he'd have never seen or heard of the deer rut before and might be inspired to visit bradgate, or richmond, or cannock or wherever to see for him or her self.

[Gaina]

Originally Posted by eeyore

I didnt watch it , but chris packham said it wasnt live in his radio times interview, going on to say that this was "because at 9pm its dark outside and there is limit to whats happening" as hes a presenter and on the production team i presume we knows what he's talking about

He was probably saying that within the context of live action (like the beavers...was it last year?). You couldn't rehearse that blooper I saw last night when they forgot to put the skulls on the tray for the quiz or the 'please ground swallow me up NOW!' look in Simon's face when they showed him messing about before the camera's started rolling.

Whichever the case, I really enjoyed it and can't wait for next week (especially Jemima Parry-Jones! ).

[dickybird]

i watched it too-in its new format and despite everything that had been said about it here--was still entertained.

i can think of plenty of other programmes whose content could be more accurately described as being''like watching paint dry''.


dickybird

[ChrisR]

I think it's an odd decision to move a programme that is so obviously aimed fairly and squarely at a "family" (ie. very child-oriented) audience to a slot after the watershed. One of the reasons I fell out of love with it has been the way they have use overly patronising & falsely jolly presenters - it reminds me of children's television every time I watch it. There's way too much emphasis on "fur & feather" too but they do have the occasional token invertebrate article so it isn't all bad Joking aside, even though I don't watch it much now I think it's a great show and I love the way it has encourage more interest in wildlife ... long may that continue!

[tigger]

They are repeating the Friday programme on a Saturday - late afternoon/evening - for "family viewing". So I guess they are trying to cover all the points...

Personally I think they (AW) are maybe trying to aim this new prog at teenagers/young adults (as well as the rest of us) - good luck to them, they might be hard to please! It's a shame that young kids get turned on to wildlife/nature (8/9/10) but then tend to lose this in their teens (I'm told by some youngsters that wildlife isn't "cool"). How do we change this so that all kids see wildlife/nature as something interesting and really, really "cool"? - I guess this is what Autumnwatch is trying to do.

Jane

[Vectisbirder]

Originally Posted by jacqui

I'm not entirely sure that all of Springwatch/Autumnwatch's content is suitable for young children anyway, it has never, to my knowledge been targeted at a childrens audience. Surely educating young children about the wonders of nature should be a parents job, not a televisions?

I agree. While I did like the old format where the presenters were out in a location and it was a nice hour's viewing of an evening (let's face it, not a lot else is on that is worth watching) I have no complaints about the new format either.
This is probably going to get me flamed by the parents here but I'll jump in and say it anyway: so what if children can't watch it because it is on late? Why is there a desire to make everything 'family friendly' anyway? It makes a pleasant change when programmes, such as Autumnwatch/Springwatch don't sanitise what happens in case little Johnny or Katie is upset. Seeing dead stags (as shown on Autumnwatch on Friday) would indicate that this is possibly unsuitable for younger kids to be watching.
Maybe kids are more inspired by getting out and seeing and doing stuff for themselves, rather than have it put in front of them on the idiot lantern? I have two nephews, aged 6 (I think!) and 8 and I know that they aren't the slightest bit interested in factual programmes on tv, but show them birds, animals, insects, the stars, etc in reality and they are very interested.

[vole-woman]

Not about to flame anybody, but I'd say A/W is one of the only programmes I can think of which is aimed at the whole family. Far from 'everything' being aimed at kids, there are stacks of programmes about nature for adults. A/W S/W was a really special case where the next generation of ecologists got to watch and enthuse their parents and vice versa. I know plenty of kids who were inspired to get active/interested on the back of the original format.

The audience figures for Friday were one of the lowest ever, at 2.9 million - a million less than the old format's peak. I think that's worrying. Some will have watched on Saturday, but although I don't have the figures for that yet, I do know that the figures for 'Merlin', scheduled opposite, were the highest ever, which doesn't sound good for A/W.

[wizzo]

I have to jump to Chris Packam's defence here. Anybody who'd seen the whole interview would surely realise, that he wasn't advocating wiping out the Pada but rather, that the 'resource cake' needed to be much more fairly distributed. I think we are generally too selective about what creatures we defend. The cute and fluffy are always going to get more support than the humble bugs of this world. As or the show itself, I thought it was superb.The weekly format suits me better and I think I'm gonna look forward to it more now. I found every night was getting a little tedious for me. Also, I thnk that Chris and Kate give the show, a little bit of much needed (dare I say it?) sexual chemistry. I know it's not what the show's about, but it was in danger of becoming drab. Maybe I've come late into the debate but, has nobody heard of Sky +? Regards all - great forum by the way!!