Maybe we should target the advertisers too? Nat. Geo. Are going to think
twice if they catch it from their advertisers too.

Gaye

-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
[log in to unmask]
Sent: Thursday, 1 March 2012 12:59 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Report on National Geographic Channel "Diggers"

 
Debriefing on the  first episodes of "diggers" TV Shows from ACRA-L. 
Mike  Polk
Sagebrush  Consultants
Ogden,  Utah
-----Original  Message-----
From: [log in to unmask]
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Doershuk, John  F
Sent: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 8:51 AM
To:  [log in to unmask]
Subject: ACRA-L - Report on National Geographic  Channel "Diggers"  
Dear  Colleagues: 
I watched both of  the 30-minute episodes of "Diggers" broadcast yesterday
evening, although I  barely made it through the second half-hour as I found
it becoming repetitively  boring (and chock full of ads -- more on these,
below). The show is typical Natl  Geo style -- beautiful locations, good
camera work, well-edited. But the "stars"  -- the self-styled "Ringmaster"
and "King George," are buffoons-I shouldn't  doubt that serious metal
detecting folks will not appreciate the caricatures.  These two spend a
great deal of camera time relating their enthusiasm for  finding "juice,"
"nectar," and "roundness," all their terms for the buried  "treasure" they
excitedly dig up. I didn't think their "discovery rush"  translated all that
well despite their over-the-top efforts to whip the audience  into a
pot-hunting frenzy. 
There's also plenty of reality TV side-show antics,  such as silly bets
between the two-e.g., who comes up with the oldest  item-leading to the
loser having to complete a du mb stunt like riding a bicycle off a dock
into a freezing cold lake while in drag or licking a jellyfish washed up on
the  beach (I kid you not).  
Happily, there  was zero mention of archaeology or science, and no effort at
all trying to  legitimate this activity as anything remotely educational or
additive to general  knowledge. The term "artifacts" was never used and
"context" or why it's  important was never brought up. The most damaging
thing, I think, about this  show is that no effort was made to document
where anything came from or  discussion of associations-each discovered item
was handled piece-meal. Of  course, "the past" and "history" were repeatedly
invoked as cool, interesting,  but ultimately, simply a source of cash. In
the first two minutes, the tone was  set and the rest of the dialogue was
unwavering: "we're obsessed," "a thousand  ways to cash in," "wild west loot
-- we're going to get digging" [the first  episode started in Montana --
"Old territorial prison grounds"], "so join the  search," "let's plunder
this pokey." On and on. 
This show is 100  percent metal detecting with digging limited to
near-surface garden troweling --  although one piece (from a South Carolina
plantation setting), had them  unearthing an item from almost a foot below
the surface. The show was very scant  on details about where they were
collecting, although terms like "we were  invited" and the "the owner wants
us to find" 
were carefully inserted. The first  episode was shot in Montana -- as noted
at the old  territorial prison where the "director"  expressed the hope they
would find "graves" as rumor holds that some inmates  were interred on the
grounds (they weren't able to locate any). Then they  switched locations to
a large private ranch (Chevallier). The second episode was  set in South
Carolina, first on James Island, "scene of many Civil War battles,"  and
then a brief stint on a beach of undisclosed location where modern coins and
a ring were found, and then to Fenwick Plantation where Revolutionary War
and  War of 1812 buttons, bullets, and coins were recovered.  Having spent
the past two years in an
(on-going) struggle to preserve against  planned development the only War of
1812 battlefield known in Iowa, it turned my  stomach to see these two
cavalierly pock-marking what was clearly a battlefield  context with good
integrity, selectively removing the metal items they happened  to
detect-there wasn't even a semblance of concern shown for the benefits of
being systematic. 
In each episode, they pocket their take -- no mention of  showing or sharing
with landowners, and then they sell some and the rest is  apparently kept,
although again no mention is made of recording provenience or  any such
concerns. There was a disclaimer added at the end of the episode about
following local regs and getting landowner permission. This hardly mitigates
the main message of the programming that comes through loud and clear: the
past is  there for the taking, help yourselves like we do, preservation
isn't even worth  talking about. 
Cash, in the end,  is what this show is about on two parallel levels. First
(and foremost re why  made and shown) it's about advertising revenue. 
Consider this list: Verizon,  iPhone S, Nationwide, GEICO, Mazda, Acura,
Volvo, Sam Adams, Heineken, and CSX  Rail -- these are the majors. What
strikes me as especially telling is that the  personas Ringmaster and King
George project is anything but a Heineken-drinking,  Volvo-driving,
iPhone-using demographic. I'm not sure what to make  of the combination of
bozo-behavior on a seemingly respectable, education-oriented channel like
Natl Geo, but maybe we are witnessing the descent of Natl Geo into the realm
of unabashedly "whatever"  programming. For the moment, they are a preferred
venue for Heineken and Volvo,  but maybe in a year or two it will be Bud
Light and Chevy. 
Secondly, the  expressed driving motivation for Ringmaster and King George
is the cash value of  the items they recover, plain and simple. I thought I
might learn  something about the how-to aspect of metal detecting,  pros and
cons of different equipment, etc., but this really wasn't the point any
more than being concerned about adversely impacting nonrenewable resources
was  the focus. Ironic that both CSX Rail and Mazda ran ads focused on the
importance of preserving the environment -- CSX promotes "Nature is
spectacular -- let's  keep it that way" while Mazda tied themselves to "The
Lorax" movie that is  recently out (or about to be released).  
To close this  overly lengthy report, I'll never intentionally watch this
program again as  there is simply nothing of value to it, not even mindless
entertainment. I hope  this is the general response, and Natl Geo drops it. 
After all, they can readily  profit from their programming like "Doomsday
Preppers" or "American  Weed." 
John  Doershuk
State  Archaeologist
University of  Iowa
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