It is Sharkweek and Discovery Channel is after 26 years again performing at its best and worst: scaring us, making us laugh and generally filling the TV and print media with shark stories. Even the tweeters are getting in with hundreds of thousands of pithy syllables and hashtags. This year we are as guilty as the rest. While we laugh at the ignorance of 76% viewers who believed the extinct Megaladon shark still lurks when polled after airing the Mockumentary Megaladon The Monster Shark Lives; we are inspired by the innovative sharkcam on an ROV and happy to see Shark Fight replay- the film with shark survivors turned conservation champions (which we participated in last year). Heck, how else am I going to reach 6 million people with a shark conservation message?
If you cant beat them join them in the feeding frenzy. Several years ago we joined a team of conservationists lead by Shark Angel Julie Anderson complaining that Shark Week was all about blood and guts and fear of sharks, and little about conservation. The producers pretended to listen and the following two years there were some better programs in between the sensational shark attack shows. To their credit, campaigns, links and content were added to the shows and web site. Over time the programming has slipped back to the gory and a little bit stupid like the two limo sized Cajuns trying to catch the mysterious and deadly Rookin (aka a giant Bull Shark) in a river using hog carcasses and a cage in Voodoo Shark. Absurd but even more when one of the whales got up and jiggled next to the lordly Laird Hamilton in the aftershow blowdown. In a pretty funny but controversial ad, poor little snuffy the seal gets waxed before his celebrated release. Art imitates life? The real thing happened at the Farallones when well meaning Marine Mammal Center veterinarians released a sea lion only to be scarfed up by a horrified group of passengers. Back to the drawing board.
With our innovative social media marketing friends at Upwell we are staying up late, commenting and heckling with our hashtags on twitter but also enjoying some of the side stories and the late night Shark after Dark humor that follows.
All this aside, Shark Week knows their audience and they know what sells. The show has the national attention so lets go with it, jump on for the ride, have some fun and insert the important conservation message people need to hear. After shark week ends we will still be losing these magnificent animals by the millions. With many species facing extinction the conservationist and the public need to celebrate sharks and live every week like its shark week.
For the sharks! Join Shark Stewards and consider supporting our shark sanctuary campaign. Posted by David McGuire
