Broadcast media’s command performance

We have been trying to get a post out about Google Earths new Ocean. More to the point the stunning content interface that is sure to be be a game changer in the months to come. Thus far our efforts have come up short.

Enter Peter Etnoyer from the Deep Sea News blog. Sometimes you just flounder around trying to encapsulate how utterly striking new technology is. And then sometimes you just give up and say with gratitude "yeah, like he said":

Etnoyer on Google Earth

Ever since yesterday’s release of Google Earth 5.0, I have been trying to convince myself that playing with the new Ocean layer is part of my job. It seems to be working. I’m a graduate student who occasionally gives talks to high schools about the deep-sea.

I’ve tried before to use Google Earth as a presentation platform. When the projection was right, I could spin the globe the Gulf of Alaska to the Gulf of Mexico effortlessly. We would go island hopping on the digital globe, jumping back and forth between the Powerpoint, the DVD player, and Google Earth. Now, I won’t have to. It’s all there together.

Complete Post

Shark Films - The Problem With Industry Footage

We got the following email this week and naturally, passed on this project.

We have also harped on this industry subject ad nausem. Suffice to say as long as industry members provide the media with the negative shark images and video that sell advertising, there remains little incentive to produce better shark programming.

It's not that the desire for better shark programming does not exist or that Discovery Networks are essentially evil. They are not. Discovery buys some fantastic shows from truly visionary production companies. It would seem though that no one has shown Discovery how to do shark productions better, cheaper, and more cohesively. Until that day comes expect more of this:

Hello,

We are producing a new show for the Discovery Channel called “XXX.”

The show is an adrenaline-packed series that highlights extraordinary incidents caught on tape! I am interested in possible footage you may have of incidents where the sharks got “too close”. For example, we are doing another story of two cage divers off the coast of Mexico that had a Great White shark get its head stuck in the cage and they had to escape out the top. Can you think of any incidents like this, or similar, that was caught on tape?

We would love to license this footage from you, and of course you would be compensated for the use of the material. We sometimes also like to couple the video with on-camera interviews with the people involved. Also, keep in mind that this is a Discovery Channel show, and will in no way be sensationalized. We want to educate our viewers on the beauty and power of the Great White!

I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible. Please let me know if you have any questions, as I would be happy to answer them for you.

Best,

XXX XXX

If it's Tuesday "Mr.White" is at San Onofre

What was once a surfers secret, became a researchers secret, and now is the open secret.

San Onofre, California, is a very sharky place.

If you have ever had the absolute pleasure of being in the company of shark watcher Ralph Collier from the Shark Research Committee (as we have) he'll tell you the reason why.

According to him most the critters you will find at San Onofre over the next three months are juveniles who are there for the annual Grunion Run. The Grunion (small bait fish) are filled with high calorie eggs, think of these little fish as "white shark power bars" and the whites who are swimming these waters are scooping them up by the mouthful in an all-you-can-eat three month shark buffet.

As for the surfers? Unless you are paddling out to the lineup wearing a pair of vintage silver sequined Micheal Jackson Thriller Gloves you should be fine.

It was no surprise to read another blog post from the surf community about this seasonal event because if it's any date over the next three months "Mr.White" is at San Onofre