Advertisers are where we should focused they hold the bottom line!
John Mark Joseph
In a message dated 2/29/2012 6:34:35 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
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
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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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