Shark Week is a week on the Discovery channel that sees a flurry of documentaries on sharks. As a person with a keen interest in sharks, you’d think I would be extremely excited about it. The truth is I get very scared, for a reason entirely different from why most people get scared during shark week. The documentaries from the last couple of years have been painting sharks in a not so flattering light. Many of the “documentaries” are simply dramatic re-enactments of violent shark attacks as told from the victims point of view. They may be accurate and I’m sure a shark accident would be a terrifying ordeal, but this is only part of the story.
There is much more to sharks than the rare and, admittedly, horrifying negative encounters people have with them. Even the non shark attack based shows seem to emphasize the teeth most of all. 2011’s line-up includes “Top Five Eaten Alive”, “Jaws Comes Home”, “Great White Invasion”, “Killer Sharks”, “10 Deadliest Sharks”. Where are the documentaries on the vastly more common positive encounters people have with sharks? Or the ones that talk about how important they are to our planet? Or about how they are being overfished (to put it lightly)? Past years’ documentaries (I have not seen this years’) would include people getting into the water with sharks, but even that is sold as “death defying” and as an extreme sport.
Two weeks ago I watched a 13 year old girl get in the open ocean with sharks and no cage, ones that will no doubt be listed in the “10 Deadliest Sharks” episode. Of course, sharks are still wild animals and precautions were taken, but it should shatter the idea that it is a macho, death defying stunt to swim with sharks.
So, why all the blood and scary music? The answer is simple – ratings. The goal is to get eyeballs and blood and carnage sell very well. Audiences want to be scared. Why do you think there are so many “Saw” and “Final Destination” movies?
I think the Discovery Channel is well aware they are only showing a small portion of the shark story, but believe it is necessary or else no one will watch. What is the point of showing a shark documentary about how gentle and smart sharks can be if no one will watch? It is better to sell them on the gore and slip in a small, subtle conservation message to make sure a lot of people see it. I get it, it makes sense, it is rational thinking. Unfortunately, it doesn’t help the sharks and it scares people out of the water.
I would argue that it is very possible to make interesting, dramatic television that doesn’t show sharks as blood thirsty man eaters. A great example of this is the Animal Planet series Whale Wars which follows conservation organization Sea Shepherd as they try to stop whaling in the southern ocean. The show has set ratings records for Animal Planet (which is actually owned by Discovery) and has made being a conservationist cool. Whales are seen as beautiful, necessary animals that need and deserve our protection. Whales used to have a bad reputation just like sharks, but the public view has changed. I believe this can happen with sharks as well and Shark Week has an excellent opportunity to contribute. Based on the titles, I think sharks will be even more feared after watching these shows than they were before.
Over the next couple of weeks Shark Week will, no doubt, take over the social networking world (it even got a very on-purpose mention in the Facebook movie The Social Network). I am really scared that what I will see are Facebook updates like “Watching Shark week – gonna leave the lights on tonight” and tweets like “I ain’t going swimming ever again!” as I did last shark week (where #SharkWeek was a worldwide trending topic on twitter).
I hope that someday Discovery Channel will take the Whale Wars lead and prove that interesting television can also support a cause and show people the wonderful, beautiful and fascinating side of these important creatures we call sharks.
Thanks.I agree and would add that ratings and celebs bringing sensationalism has predominated in lieu of responsible/entertaining spins on one of nature’s creatures, the Shark.
Well said Shane.
Agree completely. I haven’t watched shark week for a while because my blood pressure goes up considerably. Mainly due to anger over some of the ridiculous things that are said. I hope that with your photography and talents you will make a difference.
ps. The photos of yours I had framed look amazing. One is so nice I have it up at home, the other will be in my office at work come August. Thanks
And the ironic thing is I’d be willing to bet that if they showed people what sharks are really like, their ratings would be even higher. People would just be so amazed by how different sharks are to their stereotypical image.
Duncan, I would tend to agree. Air Jaws (despite the name) is generally both their most balanced and highest rated of episodes.
With the mainstream media loading tons of ‘Shark Attacks’ stories on TV this week. China & Japan’s fishing corporation’s are obviously on the attack! All to counter-attack the Non-Mainstream media’s success in the truth… your blog is a winner!
I couldn’t agree more! I grew up on shark week and FEEL that when I was a kid it seemed more educational. Its definitely taken a sensational approach over the past decade at least, maybe longer. I really cant bear to watch it anymore. I get excited that other people get excited about Sharks for a week, but what good does it do if it sends the wrong message.
I’ve been saying for a few years now that Discovery could easily follow the lead of Rob Stewart and put out programming that was either similar to Sharkwater, or even FEATURE Sharkwater one of the nights. At least it provides a different side to the story than the blood, fear and teeth that predominates Shark Week programming.
Well Put….have felt this way for years now…..
Hi,
what do you expect from such a big american TV channel ? make documentary to instruct people or create an appealing environment to sell advertisment time ? you gotta be realistic. Sharks will only be saved if there is money to make.
cheers
I comepletely agree with your point. When ever I tell someone I love sharks, I get the weirdest looks like “really? don’t you know how horrifying they are?” I’m writing and essay on Great White’s. It’s a persuassive paper and I really hope I can recruit another person to believe what I do. Sharks are amazing creatures and there is no reason to be as afraid of them as people are. As a matter of fact, people are more scary than sharks. People are unpredictable while there are ways to avoid being attacked by a shark. Makes me mad. I won’t continue because there is no need to rant
