Hi Andy and Histarchers,

With regard to your comments, I want to take a moment to
clarify my point from my earlier email regarding the History
Detectives.

I am aware that there are often competing interests between
academic archaeological projects and "infotainment"-type
television programs.  I have been involved with the local and
national media in the past, and am working with a private
documentary group right now.  Certainly, these programs do
much to promote archaeology to the general public, and the
relationship between archaeologists and this sort of
educational programming can be mutually beneficial (like Time
Team America).

In this particular instance, I was trying to make sure that
the television producers did not do something illegal, or
inadvertently promote illegal and destructive activity that
would compromise the archaeological materials at the site for
everyone--academics, crm firms, and the interested public alike.

Sincerely,
Rebecca


---- Original message ----
>Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:01:44 -0800
>From: "Andrew W. Hall" <[log in to unmask]>  
>Subject: Re: query re "History Detectives" TV show  
>To: [log in to unmask]
>
>Rebecca S. Graff wrote:
>
>> This is a very timely email for me, since I was just 
>> contacted by a producer with the History Detectives in
>> regard to the site of  my dissertation research
>> —Chicago’s Jackson Park.  She wanted me to identify 
>> some items in their possession—artifacts that two 
>> boys dug up from the park in the 1980s—because 
>> they are doing a show about the architecture of the 
>> 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition (which took place 
>> there).  . . .
>
>The handful of episodes I've seen have been heavy on
interviews/interpretations/valuations done by private
collectors, appraisers and auctioneers, rather than by people
on the (for lack of a better term) "non-profit" side --
academics, librarians, archivists. Always keep in mind that
they're producing a show that has to attract viewers, and they
will almost invariably go with the source that gives the most
dramatic interpretation/analysis/revelation on camera, whether
or not that person has much in the way of credentials,
academic or otherwise. 
>
>> I have not received any further contact from the History
Detectives.
>
>No sh1t. You just told them (correctly) that their
clients/subjects are looters. That messes up their script
something awful. ;-P
>
>Andy Hall
---------------------------
Rebecca S. Graff
PhD Candidate
Department of Anthropology
University of Chicago
1126 East 59th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
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