Shark Week's coming... A good thing? A bad thing? Does it really have an effect?

[AaronRiot]

I love sharks, and I love documentaries on them...well pretty much documentaries in general.

Over the years, I've noticed, a lot of the production have moved away from the science-type information-packed shows and into the over-exaggerated shock and awe tactics.

Shows have titles like When ____ attack! And Killer _______s. Or even more specifically River Monsters (which I'm viewing as I type).

Now, granted, many of these shows do have some descent info in them, and some filmmakers are still producing docs that present their info without the circus act.

My question is, are these far-fetched shows good from the conservatism standpoint? Is some knowledge better than none? Do these shows instill the same kind of fear (into people who don't have their own background information) as Jaws did back in the day?

I'm just curious what other people think.

Not gonna lie, I still watch all the shows even if I disagree with them, sometimes if only to see video of the creature it's about, but with that being said I enjoy BBC Attenborough type films much much more.

 

[drbill]

Unfortunately this is a trend found in much of the media today. For instance, "The Today Show" has become little but fluff whereas I used to rely on it years ago for real news. Shark Week is something I would never consider watching (an easy vow since I haven't had TV in about three years). IF they ever really adopted a shark conservation ethic as a primary component of the series, I'd consider it. I have an associate who developed a segment for "Shark Week" a while back and he said to me that he'd never do another one for that "show."

Sadly, in trying to market my own cable TV show on the marine life of kelp forests (Munching & Mating in the Macrocystis) I've been told "it's too educational"). The dumbing down of America.

 

[drrich2]

Try working the lethal entanglement hazard of kelp for divers and work in a couple of compelling human interest deaths related to it. Play some low, ominous music in the background while filming it swaying in the current. Make it seem sinister and mysterious. While people are watching to see who the monster kelp will get, throw in some educational content.

 

[ermaclob]

the discovery channel has long since made it clear that its is through educating people about anything at all. its going the route of the history channel, with a focus to targeting dumb ass people. ive been watching that channel ever since i could remember and can clearly recall the days that i learned more from it in 1 week then 6 months i school. watching know only makes you dumber.

just take a look at there shark week web page

Shark Week: Into the Shark Bite (2010) : Video : Discovery Channel

100's of videos on Great White attacks, and jumps on seals, etc.

Theres a good estimated 400 species of sharks in the world and so called shark week only shows great whites in the image of JAWS

no one will ever see these shows and think "oh sharks are important creatures." realistically they'll go "im never going in the water again" or "if i ever see a shark ill kill it."

discovery is all about $$$$$ now

T.V. in general isnt worth paying for any more, the internet is the [-]future[/-] present

 

[Global Ocean]

We believe that Discovery's "Shark Week" series and another round of misleading insinuations about the nature of the shark. Ratings should not take precedence over conservation, nor should sensationalism overrule essential information. We are planning on complaining to Ofcom and FCC for the biased and misleading nature of the programming.
See more here: http://www.globalocean.org.uk/blog/2012/8/15/discoverys-misleading-shark-week/85/

 

[kheldz]

ive seen some documentaries come back to back with conflicting messages for the past few yrs...one documentary is relatively okay about how the sharks arent predators (mainly south africans swimming with tigers and great whites) , while the next documentary is about killing machines..

either way, a fool will remain a fool, and after all these are television stations
ill take whatever they air, its better than almost anything else on tv.

having said that , since all the good folks here took the time to write about this, i come bearing presents
i hope u enjoy this little video of mine from my trip to fiji.

https://vimeo.com/47573192

im all down with shark feeding in overfished areas , especially when the villagers get some money in return for the tourism , as opposed to them shark finning!

 

[drbill]

I may actually watch an episode of Shark Week tonight (if I don't decide to do a night dive)... "Great White Highway."

 

[zider]

Having scanned through Discovery's planned schedule for Shark Week I was again sad to see the same, over hyped, non-informative, garbage as years past. However, I was delighted to find that the National Geographic Channel has their own response this week called "Shark Fest" and the programing is much more reminiscent to the type of educational shark programs that Discovery used to show years ago. Their program on Salmon Sharks the other night was absolutely facinating.

 

[boulderjohn]

Unfortunately this is a trend found in much of the media today. For instance, "The Today Show" has become little but fluff whereas I used to rely on it years ago for real news. Shark Week is something I would never consider watching (an easy vow since I haven't had TV in about three years). IF they ever really adopted a shark conservation ethic as a primary component of the series, I'd consider it. I have an associate who developed a segment for "Shark Week" a while back and he said to me that he'd never do another one for that "show."

Sadly, in trying to market my own cable TV show on the marine life of kelp forests (Munching & Mating in the Macrocystis) I've been told "it's too educational"). The dumbing down of America.

I have seen a couple of episodes this time (I have almost never watched before), and they weren't bad. They went out of their way to dispel myths about the sharks. I would say those episodes were pretty much on the side of the sharks.

I am not surprised about your show, Dr. Bill. I wrote an article a while ago about the general topic of the strange direction of supposed educational programming. I like to watch TV while riding my exercise bike, and I am in despair at the steady parade of shows about swamp people, ice road truckers, lumberjacks, people who swear on scant evidence that we were visited by aliens from space in the prehistoric past, people who swear on scant evidence we are visited by aliens from space today, people who look in old barns for things to pawn, pawn shops who take in these things, and people who restore items brought into pawn shops. I think that tells you what demographic they are after, and it is not the demographic you are going after. Assuming the programmers have not taken leave of their senses, we must assume that going after your demographic would be financial suicide.

 

[drbill]

I did watch three of the programs on Shark Week last night. Well, actually I didn't really watch them as I was with three other divers and we spent a good part of the time talking about how dumb some of it was. I will admit that the three programs weren't as bad as I expected. It was a surprise to see two of my friends on screen... Charles Ingram having a great white "attack" his inflatable and Dr. Rocky Strong sitting on top of a whale carcass to film great whites "nibbling" on it.