Wayne has a good idea here. Having some sort of organization that can vet educational programming for scientific accuracy and authenticity would help greatly to increase the quality and educational value of such programming. I think the core problem is that these organizations like Discovery, History, etc. are run by non-scientists who try to make history "sexy" by embellishing, exaggerating, or even omitting details. The fact it's only gotten worse over the years is an indication of the priorities of the people running these organizations, where ratings over-rule everything else. As for a "stamp of approval", while an initially sound idea, stamps of approval can quickly and efficiently be made meaningless, as we all know with the way the "organic" or "green" label is used in the United States. The question that comes to my mind, then, is what is the best way of going about improving the accuracy and authenticity of this educational programming -without- reducing its appeal to viewers? Considering their demographics, couching everything in technical scientific jargon and using only historical texts and evidence as images would unquestionably hurt ratings. It seems a fine balance, one that could be best accomplished if writers, advertisers, and scientists came together to create an intelligent, educational, and entertaining programming. - Derek E. Pursell
--- On Thu, 5/27/10, Wayne Tyson <[email protected]> wrote: From: Wayne Tyson <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Fwd: CALL TO ACTION - Discovery Channel teaches viewers how to kill bats. To: [email protected] Date: Thursday, May 27, 2010, 8:34 PM Ecolog: Thanks Malcolm! Grrrrr! My wife was one of their early victims, cutting footage of her into what she was led to believe was a scientifically responsible piece; worse, they keep airing it even though it's several years old now. And I actually shot some professional video footage for them, for which I got zero for payment--in retrospect, I should have been fined for stupidity. As to one particular zeal-idiot, he actually started out reasonably well, then went down the toilet, but he keeps popping up with more and more mental-fecal-matter. I hope there will be zero teachers using any "Discovery" material from now on--as if most haven't already banned it from classrooms other than to use it as an example of junk science. This is not to say that everything produced is necessarily junk science, but if the front office doesn't really feel it, nothing will change--I don't know how they could make it much worse, but they ain't on top of the heap for nuthin'. My weapon of choice in the past has been Op-Eds (effective enough to get my contract with a major NGO cancelled), and I would strongly urge Fascione to do that and keep on hammering them every way she can. She needs to form a conservation coalition, and hammer this whole flim-flammery cannery down below oblivion where it belongs. There are some writers right here on Ecolog who could do that as well, one of which I think has a blog on Discovery-something, but we should ask all science writers on Ecolog to weigh in on this one. Yes, it's HIGH TIME educated and honest people started raising some hell about the pseudo-science that infests so-called "educational" TV on several channels. I call it "Dumb-Down TV." Maybe we should start a monitoring and evaluation program that rates TV and other media products and perhaps developing an advisory service to work with those willing--a "Good-Naturekeeping Seal" of approval? All very good-natured, of course! And, of course, the advisors will be peer-reviewed post-production and laughed out of town by their peers if they sell out. Then scientists, teachers, and millions of other "right-thinking" citizens of the world could be a cheering section for such programs, thus giving them the eyeballs they want. Some bozos seem to think that they can raise ratings by feeding their fellow bozos more bozonium, but if the Head Office gets the drift that they are LOSING ratings, maybe they'll "get religion." In any case, don't help these bozovillians assume the cloak of scientific respectability around their naked disrespect for the truth any longer. Sheesh! And I thought Steve was going to far! WT PS: I have come to distrust just about all such "programming," even some of that coming from once-reliable outfits, because I have increasingly found so much drivel cloaked in science. As in my wife's experience, I suspect that most of the scientists who appear on these abominable abominations are unaware of how the footage of them will be used. They should take great care to examine any paperwork carefully, and to insert language that opens the producers, their heirs, successors in interest, and assigns--and every other deep and shallow pocket that participates in such chicanery to being sued, black and blued, and tattooed with the mark of bozo and banished to Sillygan's Island (somewhere in the vicinity of Atlantis) with a half hour of their own hot air to breathe. And get someone who can put it into the strongest possible terms. And oh, yes--I almost forgot. Write SPONSORS! And organizations (Union of Concerned Scientists?), asking them to put their oar into the water. ----- Original Message ----- From: "malcolm McCallum" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2010 12:12 PM Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Fwd: CALL TO ACTION - Discovery Channel teaches viewers how to kill bats. > THis is not the first time that Bear Grylls has been the subject of such > things (biting in half live snakes for example!). However, below is a post > from Bat Conseration international that many of you may want to address. > IT is time for these shows to demonstrate environmental responsibility and > cease their sensationalism posed as education. Discovery and other likewise > mannered "educational" television is damaging its credibility day by day, > but the recent episode outlined below is the epitome of ignorance. > > Malcolm > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Bat Conservation International <[email protected]> > Date: Thu, May 27, 2010 at 1:16 PM > Subject: CALL TO ACTION - Discovery Channel teaches viewers how to kill > bats. > To: "malcolm.mccallum.tamut" <[email protected]> > > > <https://www.batcon.org/> > > A recent episode of Discovery Channel's Man vs. Wild featured Bear Grylls > gleefully killing bats with a homemade club. The clip, which shows Grylls > throwing a flame in a cave to "smoke out" the bats, swatting them to the > ground and then stomping on them, has aired internationally and been posted > on YouTube, allowing for continued access. > > Though we understand the show is about survival, we feel that this clip > perpetuates negative attitudes toward bats and could generate senseless > copycat activity and/or the type of vandalism that is driving many bat > species to the brink of extinction. Only four months ago, a Kentucky man was > sentenced to eight months in jail after pleading guilty to beating to death > 105 endangered Indiana bats. > > Please express your disappointment at this anti-conservation message by > filling out the feedback <http://extweb.discovery.com/viewerrelations> form > on Discovery Communications website. Let the Discovery executives know: > > - This episode undermines decades of bat conservation efforts > - Bats are an important part of a healthy ecosystem. They eat > agricultural pests, disperse seeds to replenish the rainforest and pollinate > a variety of plants. Many bats are endangered and the loss of a single > species can have ramifications throughout the ecosystem. > - Viewers should be informed that killing bats-or even disturbing > them-may be illegal depending on the species and country. > - We would like Discovery Channel to ensure this edition of Born Survivor > and related footage is not aired again and that this > footage<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guSY9bTdwI4>is removed from > Youtube, the Discovery Channel website and all other > communications > - We hope Discovery Channel uses all its nature programming to forward > conservation efforts. > > Best regards, > > Nina Fascione > Executive Director > Bat Conservation International > > P.S. Help spread the word. Forward this to a friend. > > > If you do not wish to receive emails from BCI click > here<[email protected]?subject=please+remove+me+from+your+mailing+list> > > > > -- Malcolm L. McCallum > Managing Editor, > Herpetological Conservation and Biology > > 1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea" W.S. Gilbert > 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, > and pollution. > 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction > MAY help restore populations. > 2022: Soylent Green is People! > > Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any > attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may > contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized > review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not > the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and > destroy all copies of the original message. > > > > > -- Malcolm L. McCallum > Managing Editor, > Herpetological Conservation and Biology > > 1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea" W.S. Gilbert > 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, > and pollution. > 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction > MAY help restore populations. > 2022: Soylent Green is People! > > Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any > attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may > contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized > review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not > the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and > destroy all copies of the original message. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.437 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2899 - Release Date: 05/27/10 06:25:00
