Wildlife TV Programmes?

[jcurtis]

Hi,
OMG tv at the moment in the evenings is shocking! A part from the programme looking at the Natural History Museum the Museum of Life there is not a lot worth watching!

I am sure I read somewhere about BBC project where a new programme will be based on Wildlife Photographers . Does anyone know anymore about this or about any other worth while viewing opportunties now or in the near future (havent got Sky only freeview and normal tele.



Jason

[Geoff F]

To be honest, I don't watch much TV anymore and haven't heard of anything new. Even Newsnight is 90% about one subject now!

I gave up with TV wildlife programmes when Bill Oddie was ditched. Presenters now need to be very young and sexy looking. I find the few alternatives like David Attenborough etc have become so 'stage managed' and unrealistically perfect that I just don't believe them anymore.

But perhaps this is just a sign of my advancing years!

I fear that anything concerning wildlife photography would be based on £10,000 lenses.

So most of my spare evening time, when not editing my own photos, is spent on this site or a general photography site that I also use.

The BBC Natural History division which was based in Bristol used to commission some wonderful 'real wildlife' programmes which were relatively cheap to produce but I suppose they just didn't get a big enough audience.

[cockneysparrow1]

hi jason
i feel the same about tv over the last few months or so and i have found a alternative when im in the mood for some tv, its youtube!
ive never really looked at it before other then the odd talking cat and the
ku fu rabbit or whatever else will be next!!
but if you search enough ive found some interesting stuff like natural history programmes and lectures from biologists about all sorts of nature, one was on ants it was over a hour long called "the lord of the ants" these are not just 3minute clips but full programmes. so might be worth checking out. also ive started to look at bbc radio on iplayer some times has some good stuff to listen to while posting on here ;-)

[Willo]

I know that it isn't strictly Wildlife but I have really enjoyed watching the recent BBC series the Wonders of the Solar System. It was excellent although I think it finished last weekend. I believe it is still on iPlayer until the 11th. The presenter, Professor Brian Cox, has huge enthusiasm for his subject and it is infectious. It also seems to not have suffered too much from the all too common ailment of dumbing down.

Currently also enjoying Ashes to Ashes but again not really a wildlife prog.

I think one problem with wildlife programes is that the last few series the BBC have produced, Life, Planet Earth, Blue Planet and the other series have set the bar hugely high (and may have sucked up budgets). The question is, where do they go from here? As for the other channels I haven't seen ITV air anything vaguely interesting. Sky did recently do a series on wildlife photography but I didn't watch any of it as it had "celebrities" in it. It is difficult to know what they can do next.

The presenters may be another problem. Personally I didn't mourn the loss of Bill Oddie but there is no doubting that he knew his stuff and was happy to talk about it. I quite like Chris Packham and Simon King is very good (I believe he has a series but I lose track of when it is on). Perhaps they need someone like Professor Cox. Someone who is charismatic, enthusiastic and knowledgeable.