Greetings
everyone. I hope all is well with you all and you are enjoying your summer or
winter, depending on where you are, to the fullest. Today’s blog is going to be
another calling out of a T.V. station. For once it will not be Discovery
Channel, but I’m sure they’ll be getting theirs once again soon. No today I am
going to be blasting NBC. Ironically I probably watch NBC Sports Network more
than any other channel as they host most of the NHL games throughout the year.
Despite that fact, they still have made a massive programming error that they
need to correct sooner, rather than later.
Recently the
show Shark Hunters returned to NBC.
The last time NBC aired the show, it was quickly taken off the air due to the
massive backlash that the company received my shark conservationists and
advocates from around the world. I’m not going to go into what the plot of the
now six part series is as I am in no shape or form going to promote it or even
explain anything about it other than this. This is a show in which fishermen
put themselves into “dangerous situations” in order to catch and kill the
biggest shark they can in order to win hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is
the year 2014 and we have a T.V. show glorifying the killing of sharks. Wow…
Just wow… Of all the things that NBC could have come up with… They chose the
killing of sharks. Don’t get me wrong. I think all of those stupid hunting
shows need to be scrapped. There is no reason to glorify the killing of any
animal. Back to this brain-dead show though.
The trailer
for the show, which again I refuse to put in this blog, is all that needs to be
said about the show. I’m going to dissect it and without even showing you all
the video, you will probably be able to get the majority of what this “show” is
about. Some of the first words of the trailer are “mystery, danger, fear”.
Right off the bat the viewer’s blood is supposed to start pumping. Then we see
some old news footage with people in panic over sharks being sighted near
swimmers. Very similar to this that happened just days ago in Florida...
(Hammerheads
are not even dangerous. Funny how that deadly shark decided not to follow the swimming people right?)
Then we hear
the ever so famous “nightmare hunters of the deep”. Sharks are far from
nightmare hunters. Far, far from it. The way that a shark hunts is far more
complicated than how the idiot fishermen in this show go about killing these
animals.Again, we also have that word nightmare. What is a nightmare? Scary. Sharks are scary then? No. This is again, nothing but mere fear mongering in an attempt to grip an audience. It's a shame it works. Following that we have the famous "Show me the way to go home" lyrics from Jaws as we meet those "brave" souls who are going out to try and catch the biggest shark they can to bring home boatloads of cash. The show says it's man vs shark in tournaments about seamanship and courage. I'm sorry, there is nothing courageous about celebrating the death of any animal. The trailer wraps up with the words "this is Shark Hunters". Of course as they say that a bloodied mako shark is being dragged onto the boat. Very nice NBC. Now a claim has come about that the show has a conservation aspect.
The fishermen claim that conservation and science is why they are on the water. That sounds like those trophy hunters that claim they are killing lions and what not for conservation. That's like Japan saying they are killing whales for science. In other words, it's a load of trash. There is zero educational value in this show on any level including conservation. There is no mention of the plight sharks are fighting. No mention that those same kill tournaments are actually a very real threat to local shark populations. No information about tagging or anything like that. Nothing. Oddly enough, these fishermen are exclusively hunting down and killing species of shark that will probably soon be Endangered. All of them are listed as "Vulnerable" on the IUCN's Red List and include the shortfin mako, thresher, and porbeagle sharks. No folks, this show has nothing to do with conservation or science. This show is NBC literally glorifying the killing of sharks that are threatened with extinction.
NBC ought to be ashamed of themselves for putting this show on their lineup. They are doing everything that conservationists and activists and scientists are trying to change. They are driving fear into the minds of the public by showing overly dramatic scenes of sharks thrashing around on fishing lines. Not for nothing on that, but I'm pretty sure you'd be thrashing around if you were on a hook as well. They are glorifying the killing of these animals with a prize of a massive paycheck. Shark kill tournaments are a very real thing still and it is a danger that many people are now working to change. The populations of mako, thresher, and porbeagle sharks are in decline worldwide and now NBC is promoting the hunting of them. Shame on that network. Discovery Channel may have their faults and may not use their programming how they should, but at least they are not openly promoting the killing of these animals. NBC, cancel your ridiculous show. If you want a "shark hunting show", make it one that involves tagging sharks or something of that nature. Then again, I guess there is no fear do drive ratings and money to inspire people.
The fishermen claim that conservation and science is why they are on the water. That sounds like those trophy hunters that claim they are killing lions and what not for conservation. That's like Japan saying they are killing whales for science. In other words, it's a load of trash. There is zero educational value in this show on any level including conservation. There is no mention of the plight sharks are fighting. No mention that those same kill tournaments are actually a very real threat to local shark populations. No information about tagging or anything like that. Nothing. Oddly enough, these fishermen are exclusively hunting down and killing species of shark that will probably soon be Endangered. All of them are listed as "Vulnerable" on the IUCN's Red List and include the shortfin mako, thresher, and porbeagle sharks. No folks, this show has nothing to do with conservation or science. This show is NBC literally glorifying the killing of sharks that are threatened with extinction.
NBC ought to be ashamed of themselves for putting this show on their lineup. They are doing everything that conservationists and activists and scientists are trying to change. They are driving fear into the minds of the public by showing overly dramatic scenes of sharks thrashing around on fishing lines. Not for nothing on that, but I'm pretty sure you'd be thrashing around if you were on a hook as well. They are glorifying the killing of these animals with a prize of a massive paycheck. Shark kill tournaments are a very real thing still and it is a danger that many people are now working to change. The populations of mako, thresher, and porbeagle sharks are in decline worldwide and now NBC is promoting the hunting of them. Shame on that network. Discovery Channel may have their faults and may not use their programming how they should, but at least they are not openly promoting the killing of these animals. NBC, cancel your ridiculous show. If you want a "shark hunting show", make it one that involves tagging sharks or something of that nature. Then again, I guess there is no fear do drive ratings and money to inspire people.
