I agree with Peter's thoughts, particularly regarding making the opportunity
rather than waiting for it to appear.
How about approaching the "lifestyle" television program producers, i.e.
Burke's Backyard (BBY), Better Homes & Gardens, even the ABC's garden
program. Surely if BBY can devote a segment every show to a breed of dog,
they could have a segment, say every second show, highlighting/profiling a
native bird or bird family and its habitat. The focus would need to be, at
least initially, very much on "high-profile" species, e.g. Honeyeaters,
Parrots, Wrens, Kingfishers, Raptors. Over time, if such segments
persisted successfully, other issues such as endangered species, bird clubs,
effects of land clearing, wetlands, etc. could be introduced.
An appropriate "expert" could do the segment - I think they occasionally use
a character whose name I forget, (is his surname Denham?) for "nature"
issues. It could be linked to backyard gardens or local parks and reserves
and linked to native plant species. E.g. Swift Parrots in SE Melbourne
suburbs. BA, or others, could provide appropriate supporting material with
little effort as it would only be a brief segment. (Perhaps JG could
provide an appropriate poem to go with each species!! - Just joking).
What better way to get really broad exposure! There is always the greatest
value in aiming highest. If all those putting in suggestions, criticism and
encouragement to this chat line were to think about it and do some nosing
around, I'm sure someone knows someone who knows how to get to the right
people.
I believe that a good case could be made for the benefits to BBY, and
others, to include such a short segment as great entertainment and also as
light-weight education.
On a related matter, I was fascinated to watch the last show of Morse last
night and see how, as Inspector Morse contemplated his retirement, he was
taking up bird-watching. And it was portrayed as the most negative end of
the road for the hero - how depressing it was - to end up retiring to watch
birds!! This is the media sending a rather atrocious message about the
delights of our shared occupation.
Bob Cook
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message
"unsubscribe birding-aus" (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
