This week we closed our channel player, having run it in ‘Beta’ mode since March. This might seem like a strange way to move forward but bear with me!
This first incarnation of Outdoors TV has been run as a test bed for future programmes that will go into production in the New Year. With the public launch scheduled for May 2009, we’re now closing down the test operation in order fully to prepare the channel for its post launch life.
The funny thing is that in closing the player, we’ve gained a good snapshot of the overall interest shown in Outdoors TV & its programmes. We’ve had nothing but good feedback on the content we’ve shown so far, but we’ve tended to look solely at the performance of a particular programme, rather than the bigger picture.
Now, we have a ‘closing balance’ if you like & have discovered that we’ve had over 14,500 viewings in the last nine months. Depending on your perspective, this is either a significant or derisory sum but, for us, it is confirmation that there are people out there who want to watch what we want to produce.
OK, so fourteen & a half thousand views in nine months is nothing compared to You Tube or the BBC, but considering that these figures were achieved with nothing more than a bit of word of mouth publicity through the people & organisations we filmed during production, I think that’s a reasonable bit of market research!
It’s also funny how you tend to look at something differently if you are finishing it for good. Because this was the final set of statistics we looked more carefully at the overall picture, rather than how each individual programme was performing.
While it feels really quite negative, closing the very player that has defined the channel until now, this is simply a transformation. We’re not closing the channel, just changing the way people will watch our programmes (hopefully for the better). This is not the end but the beginning of the final incarnation of Outdoors TV that will be launched to the wider world in about six months.
This will be the last blog entry until the second week of January, when the build up to the channel’s launch will begin in earnest.
Friday, 19 December 2008
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Equipment Report - Bring on the Night!
You’d think that winter, with all the short days & long hours of darkness would be a hindrance to outdoors programme making, but not for us at Outdoors TV. In fact, we’re turning the winter to our advantage by testing some new kit to help us film in low light or night time conditions in the wilderness.
Everyone knows of the importance of taking a head torch into the mountains for safety, but what do you do if you’re filming? Weight is everything, especially as even the most compact of full broadcast cameras takes up a sizable chunk of rucksack space & weighs more than you’d rather carry, in addition to your rack.
High quality directional ‘top lights’ as they are called do offer great lighting but there is often a downside. Self sufficient lamps mostly need large batteries that are also quite weighty. Others run off of the camera’s battery supply but then there are adapters & cables to accommodate.
So, what’s the solution? We’ll, we’re testing a rechargeable mountain bike lamp from USE, for use as a compact long life wilderness lamp. It will be used when filming longer multi day adventures, wild camps or night activities & it also offers us a solution for lighting interviewees up on the crags or away from power supplies.
The unit we’re testing is the Exposure Enduro MaXx 2 lamp, which is roughly the size & weight of a small microphone. It’s a durable metal lamp that is rechargeable, so there are no batteries or cables to carry around. On the lowest light setting, which is perfect for filming, the stated burn time is 24 hours, so the camera’s batteries will fail long before this baby!
The Exposure range uses super bright LEDs which give a very cool light. USE tell us that apart from the normal application of this light, it has also been used by bat watchers, as the wavelength of the light doesn’t interfere with the bats’ sonar. So, this type of LED lamp appears to be wildlife friendly which is another bonus!
The lamp does have its limitations for filming, in that the beam is quite narrow, however for us, it is all about the balance of weight & size over functionality. The beam width issue can be improved for interviews & presenters, by placing the subject further away from the camera. On a positive note, the beam width does mean that there is very little spillage, giving a real sense of the dark, something that is obviously important when trying to portray night time activities.
For us, the lamp is proving to be an invaluable tool, helping us to film in conditions & locations that would otherwise be problematic or require heavier loads. While we are still waiting for a programme to give us the opportunity to use the lamp in anger, we will be reporting on our test shoots in our next Channel Update programme which will go into production in January.
Roger Burlinson
Director of Programming - Outdoors TV
Everyone knows of the importance of taking a head torch into the mountains for safety, but what do you do if you’re filming? Weight is everything, especially as even the most compact of full broadcast cameras takes up a sizable chunk of rucksack space & weighs more than you’d rather carry, in addition to your rack.
High quality directional ‘top lights’ as they are called do offer great lighting but there is often a downside. Self sufficient lamps mostly need large batteries that are also quite weighty. Others run off of the camera’s battery supply but then there are adapters & cables to accommodate.
So, what’s the solution? We’ll, we’re testing a rechargeable mountain bike lamp from USE, for use as a compact long life wilderness lamp. It will be used when filming longer multi day adventures, wild camps or night activities & it also offers us a solution for lighting interviewees up on the crags or away from power supplies.
The unit we’re testing is the Exposure Enduro MaXx 2 lamp, which is roughly the size & weight of a small microphone. It’s a durable metal lamp that is rechargeable, so there are no batteries or cables to carry around. On the lowest light setting, which is perfect for filming, the stated burn time is 24 hours, so the camera’s batteries will fail long before this baby!
The Exposure range uses super bright LEDs which give a very cool light. USE tell us that apart from the normal application of this light, it has also been used by bat watchers, as the wavelength of the light doesn’t interfere with the bats’ sonar. So, this type of LED lamp appears to be wildlife friendly which is another bonus!
The lamp does have its limitations for filming, in that the beam is quite narrow, however for us, it is all about the balance of weight & size over functionality. The beam width issue can be improved for interviews & presenters, by placing the subject further away from the camera. On a positive note, the beam width does mean that there is very little spillage, giving a real sense of the dark, something that is obviously important when trying to portray night time activities.
For us, the lamp is proving to be an invaluable tool, helping us to film in conditions & locations that would otherwise be problematic or require heavier loads. While we are still waiting for a programme to give us the opportunity to use the lamp in anger, we will be reporting on our test shoots in our next Channel Update programme which will go into production in January.
Roger Burlinson
Director of Programming - Outdoors TV
Sunday, 23 November 2008
What exactly IS television?
Why ask the question? Very good point, but in our world it seems to be an issue dividing the major broadcasters & independent channels & producers like ourselves. Traditional style broadcasters like to think of channels like us as something supplementary, not ‘proper’ television.
In September, Michael Grade accused Google & You Tube of being “parasites”, because they weren’t spending money on creating content themselves but were feeding off of programmes made by, or for, broadcasters. His accusation seems to substantiate this view - that traditional broadcasters see (or at least are trying to brand) their new internet competition as something other than real television.
Mainstream broadcasters still rule the television world through monolithic power, although that power is shifting. The vast majority of people still watch programmes on a television set & most still rely on the main terrestrial channels available on, say, Freeview. However the runaway success of the BBC’s iPlayer confirms that internet delivery of programmes is not only viable but actually suits some viewers’ habits better than the traditional rolling schedule of mainstream TV.
Perhaps a little history is called for here: When we were sold the concept of digital TV, we were promised a golden era of viewer control & interactivity. Digital TV was supposed to place in the hands of viewers the power to decide what they wanted to watch & when.
In reality, this was just a hollow promise. We do get a glimpse of the potential of digital TV when there are major events such as the Olympics - the red button providing both choice & catch up services – but these occurrences are few & far between.
The fact is that traditional TV has changed little, simply providing a rolling schedule of programmes that you can either watch, record or miss. If you miss the programme, you have to either scour the listings to see if it will be repeated or catch it for a limited time on the internet, which perhaps reveals the problem for mainstream broadcasters in the new era of internet TV.
If viewers are so dependent upon video recorders (of various types) or the internet to get the full promise of the new TV age, why do they need a traditional TV set? Why not just watch what they want online, when they want to? This is exactly what some viewers are doing with BBC content. They aren’t bothering to watch programmes when the BBC schedules them, instead they look at what’s currently available in the iPlayer & watch when it suits them.
The problem this causes major broadcasters is that the internet places them on a level playing field with small independent producers - something the prohibitively costly terrestrial or satellite platforms have hitherto prevented. In this situation the audience not only has real programme choice but they also have alternatives to the blunt instrument that is the TV schedule.
Since the beginning of television, broadcasters have competed with each other on the basis of their schedule. There is even a science of TV scheduling – what you place next to what, in order to retain an audience at a particular time of the day or night. Programmes are still scheduled in this way but why does the audience even need a schedule in this modern age? The answer is they don’t but the traditional broadcasters are so tied in to their schedule dominated model that they are unable to radically adapt to the new landscape.
So, to return to the original point about the definition of television: Are programmes viewed online then NOT television? If you watch a programme in the iPlayer, are you not watching television? Is satellite television then not television because it differs from the original terrestrial broadcast method?
Of course not! Television is: the making available of programmes for an audience to watch in their homes, no matter how the programmes arrive there. In this respect the internet & channels available exclusively on it are just as much television as those available on analogue, digital or satellite. In the same way, internet channels that don’t provide a rolling schedule that replicates the mainstream experience are no less television channels than say the BBC or Sky. It is not about how the programmes are provided but the provision of programmes in the first place.
But that’s not how the broadcast industry would like you to see things. The internet generally is a big threat to traditional television & internet channels tend to appeal to those who already spend time online rather than watching television. So, the broadcast industry would like you to look upon internet only channels as Video on Demand or video websites, as that way they can differentiate themselves & claim that you will not get the same experience.
Of course this is all just about names & definitions, but the reality is that viewers are choosing You Tube over mainstream TV because they are finding what they want. They ARE watching television, they are just using a different delivery format. They are watching TV in the way THEY want, rather than the way traditional broadcasters want them to.
Power to the people!
Roger Burlinson
Director of Programming - Outdoors TV
In September, Michael Grade accused Google & You Tube of being “parasites”, because they weren’t spending money on creating content themselves but were feeding off of programmes made by, or for, broadcasters. His accusation seems to substantiate this view - that traditional broadcasters see (or at least are trying to brand) their new internet competition as something other than real television.
Mainstream broadcasters still rule the television world through monolithic power, although that power is shifting. The vast majority of people still watch programmes on a television set & most still rely on the main terrestrial channels available on, say, Freeview. However the runaway success of the BBC’s iPlayer confirms that internet delivery of programmes is not only viable but actually suits some viewers’ habits better than the traditional rolling schedule of mainstream TV.
Perhaps a little history is called for here: When we were sold the concept of digital TV, we were promised a golden era of viewer control & interactivity. Digital TV was supposed to place in the hands of viewers the power to decide what they wanted to watch & when.
In reality, this was just a hollow promise. We do get a glimpse of the potential of digital TV when there are major events such as the Olympics - the red button providing both choice & catch up services – but these occurrences are few & far between.
The fact is that traditional TV has changed little, simply providing a rolling schedule of programmes that you can either watch, record or miss. If you miss the programme, you have to either scour the listings to see if it will be repeated or catch it for a limited time on the internet, which perhaps reveals the problem for mainstream broadcasters in the new era of internet TV.
If viewers are so dependent upon video recorders (of various types) or the internet to get the full promise of the new TV age, why do they need a traditional TV set? Why not just watch what they want online, when they want to? This is exactly what some viewers are doing with BBC content. They aren’t bothering to watch programmes when the BBC schedules them, instead they look at what’s currently available in the iPlayer & watch when it suits them.
The problem this causes major broadcasters is that the internet places them on a level playing field with small independent producers - something the prohibitively costly terrestrial or satellite platforms have hitherto prevented. In this situation the audience not only has real programme choice but they also have alternatives to the blunt instrument that is the TV schedule.
Since the beginning of television, broadcasters have competed with each other on the basis of their schedule. There is even a science of TV scheduling – what you place next to what, in order to retain an audience at a particular time of the day or night. Programmes are still scheduled in this way but why does the audience even need a schedule in this modern age? The answer is they don’t but the traditional broadcasters are so tied in to their schedule dominated model that they are unable to radically adapt to the new landscape.
So, to return to the original point about the definition of television: Are programmes viewed online then NOT television? If you watch a programme in the iPlayer, are you not watching television? Is satellite television then not television because it differs from the original terrestrial broadcast method?
Of course not! Television is: the making available of programmes for an audience to watch in their homes, no matter how the programmes arrive there. In this respect the internet & channels available exclusively on it are just as much television as those available on analogue, digital or satellite. In the same way, internet channels that don’t provide a rolling schedule that replicates the mainstream experience are no less television channels than say the BBC or Sky. It is not about how the programmes are provided but the provision of programmes in the first place.
But that’s not how the broadcast industry would like you to see things. The internet generally is a big threat to traditional television & internet channels tend to appeal to those who already spend time online rather than watching television. So, the broadcast industry would like you to look upon internet only channels as Video on Demand or video websites, as that way they can differentiate themselves & claim that you will not get the same experience.
Of course this is all just about names & definitions, but the reality is that viewers are choosing You Tube over mainstream TV because they are finding what they want. They ARE watching television, they are just using a different delivery format. They are watching TV in the way THEY want, rather than the way traditional broadcasters want them to.
Power to the people!
Roger Burlinson
Director of Programming - Outdoors TV
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
OMM - Original Media Mayhem!
If, like me, you arose last Sunday morning to see images of the Original Mountain Marathon blazoned across your TV screen & felt excitement that perhaps you might actually be able to watch it on mainstream telly, you will also have surely felt slightly sick to find that it was only there to receive a right royal kicking from the news media!
The patronising nature of almost all reports about this event must surely rile outdoors enthusiasts. Particularly the accusations that we are somehow selfish, mad or negligent when venturing into the hills in conditions many people wouldn’t even walk down the street in. Fell running has a rich heritage of pressing on regardless. It’s what makes the sport the pinnacle of mountain running & should be maintained.
Sure, conditions were extreme on this occasion & the organisers cancelled the event when the forecasts proved to be correct. But what would have happened if they had cancelled the event in advance only to find that the weather had abated? Wouldn’t they have failed in their obligation to the entrants, many of whom had travelled long distances to compete in, potentially, these conditions? Where do you draw the line?
To those who complained about the cost of the “rescue operation” I simply ask: how much does it cost the Police Service to maintain even a basic low risk presence at a single football match anywhere in the country week in, week out?
What this has all shown is how little the outdoors community can rely on the mainstream media to help it grow & prosper. We may get some good shows on telly with various personalities having a go at climbing or canoeing & this will give us a brief view of our sports in fabulous high definition. But there is a fundamental fault line in the media's understanding of outdoor pursuits & we need to accept that the relationship could fail at any moment.
Broadcasters will always look at the bigger picture which is, for them, the sensibilities of the wider mass audience. If ‘Indignant of Islington’ feels that a fell race in torrential rain is down right insanity, the mainstream broadcasters will reflect that view because they have more to gain by following the pack than the lone wolf. Of course we all know that what they should do is to deliver a balanced, well informed summary of fact. But then that doesn’t make for very good television, does it!
With the serious outdoors community numbering the hundreds of thousands, if not millions & the health benefits of outdoor pursuits potentially being a cure for many of the nation’s health issues, shouldn’t we be seeking to nurture a sense among people that taking on a challenge like the OMM, in conditions just like this, is something to aspire to, not ridicule?
Why is it that scaling Everest as a ‘tourist’ climber is seen by society as an acceptable achievement, perhaps even one of the ‘top ten things to do before you die’, inspite of the very serious risks & yet allowing 2,000 runners to go well prepared into the mouth of a storm in the Lakeland fells is criminally insane?
Maybe only we understand. Maybe it should become the sole aim of all outdoors enthusiasts to get more people to share our understanding?
Roger Burlinson
Director of Programming - Outdoors TV
The patronising nature of almost all reports about this event must surely rile outdoors enthusiasts. Particularly the accusations that we are somehow selfish, mad or negligent when venturing into the hills in conditions many people wouldn’t even walk down the street in. Fell running has a rich heritage of pressing on regardless. It’s what makes the sport the pinnacle of mountain running & should be maintained.
Sure, conditions were extreme on this occasion & the organisers cancelled the event when the forecasts proved to be correct. But what would have happened if they had cancelled the event in advance only to find that the weather had abated? Wouldn’t they have failed in their obligation to the entrants, many of whom had travelled long distances to compete in, potentially, these conditions? Where do you draw the line?
To those who complained about the cost of the “rescue operation” I simply ask: how much does it cost the Police Service to maintain even a basic low risk presence at a single football match anywhere in the country week in, week out?
What this has all shown is how little the outdoors community can rely on the mainstream media to help it grow & prosper. We may get some good shows on telly with various personalities having a go at climbing or canoeing & this will give us a brief view of our sports in fabulous high definition. But there is a fundamental fault line in the media's understanding of outdoor pursuits & we need to accept that the relationship could fail at any moment.
Broadcasters will always look at the bigger picture which is, for them, the sensibilities of the wider mass audience. If ‘Indignant of Islington’ feels that a fell race in torrential rain is down right insanity, the mainstream broadcasters will reflect that view because they have more to gain by following the pack than the lone wolf. Of course we all know that what they should do is to deliver a balanced, well informed summary of fact. But then that doesn’t make for very good television, does it!
With the serious outdoors community numbering the hundreds of thousands, if not millions & the health benefits of outdoor pursuits potentially being a cure for many of the nation’s health issues, shouldn’t we be seeking to nurture a sense among people that taking on a challenge like the OMM, in conditions just like this, is something to aspire to, not ridicule?
Why is it that scaling Everest as a ‘tourist’ climber is seen by society as an acceptable achievement, perhaps even one of the ‘top ten things to do before you die’, inspite of the very serious risks & yet allowing 2,000 runners to go well prepared into the mouth of a storm in the Lakeland fells is criminally insane?
Maybe only we understand. Maybe it should become the sole aim of all outdoors enthusiasts to get more people to share our understanding?
Roger Burlinson
Director of Programming - Outdoors TV
Friday, 24 October 2008
Outdoors TV Facebook Pages
This week has been mostly taken up with the creation of a number of Facebook pages, allowing us to connect & communitcate with viewers of the various main programme strands on Outdoors TV.
So, we now have a page dedicated to: Race Day - our competition profile programme; Out There - our non competetive event coverage programme; The Gear Room - our product & equipment profile programme & Hidden Forest - our forthcoming chill out music video slot. We've also created a page for the channel itself, giving an overview of what's going on.
The greatest benefit from all this work will be our ability to encourage those who are interested in following the channel's progress to become "fans" of the pages, allowing us then to regularly send updates to them, leading them back to Facebook, where additional information will be waiting.
We've also been extremely impressed with the video playback quality on Facebook & we'll be producing some special short clips to go exclusively on the page, rather than on the channel or our You Tube channel.
So, we're pleased to announce here & now, to anyone who may be listening (reading), that the Outdoors TV Facebook pages are, officially, OPEN!
OK. This is all nothing new & just as Blogs have been quietly getting on with the task of allowing people to air their views, so too will our Facebook pages simply get on with the task of telling the world what we're up to. However, we have found that the particular structure of the Facebook pages suit our needs & the ability to produce special videos & photo albums to help us tell the story of the creation of Outdoors TV is a pleasing development.
Roger Burlinson
Director of Programming - Outdoors TV
So, we now have a page dedicated to: Race Day - our competition profile programme; Out There - our non competetive event coverage programme; The Gear Room - our product & equipment profile programme & Hidden Forest - our forthcoming chill out music video slot. We've also created a page for the channel itself, giving an overview of what's going on.
The greatest benefit from all this work will be our ability to encourage those who are interested in following the channel's progress to become "fans" of the pages, allowing us then to regularly send updates to them, leading them back to Facebook, where additional information will be waiting.
We've also been extremely impressed with the video playback quality on Facebook & we'll be producing some special short clips to go exclusively on the page, rather than on the channel or our You Tube channel.
So, we're pleased to announce here & now, to anyone who may be listening (reading), that the Outdoors TV Facebook pages are, officially, OPEN!
OK. This is all nothing new & just as Blogs have been quietly getting on with the task of allowing people to air their views, so too will our Facebook pages simply get on with the task of telling the world what we're up to. However, we have found that the particular structure of the Facebook pages suit our needs & the ability to produce special videos & photo albums to help us tell the story of the creation of Outdoors TV is a pleasing development.
Roger Burlinson
Director of Programming - Outdoors TV
Monday, 20 October 2008
Climbing Everest by canoe?
It’s interesting how humans can become used to pain or discomfort, especially when enduring a major challenge. It’s also curious how those of us observing such exploits can become complacent about the achievement of those taking part.
Climbing Everest is practically derided nowadays as a tourist trip and yet, in spite of the assistance most climbers receive, this is still a challenge that can take you to the very brink of existence. Once upon a time, running the London Marathon was a major achievement, now it seems that if you haven’t yet run it, you are somehow not complete!
Is it because of the perceived ubiquity of these challenges or is it media over saturation? Does this mean that, as a society, we have simply become numb to acts of great adventure – have we got ‘achievement fatigue’?
I hope not, because we’re going to be making a documentary next year about one of the toughest inland water challenges going – The Devizes to Westminster canoe marathon. This is an event that caught my imagination as soon as I heard of it & I must admit I’m really looking forward to spending four days living out of the back of a van filming it!
There are a couple of categories to the ‘DW’ but the main race is the non-stop doubles race – 125 miles without rest & going right through the night in sub zero temperatures. The current record is a little over 15 hours & 30 minutes. The canoeing community call this the Everest of canoeing. While the conditions may seem a bit more welcoming than the Lhotse Face, the gruelling nature of the challenge, surely justifies the comparison.
Tactics will play a major role as well. All paddlers will have to plan to arrive at Teddington Lock in time to catch the flow of the tide up to Westminster. Otherwise, they’ll be on a wet & turbulent tread mill!
This will be our first major documentary following the public launch of the channel next Spring &, hopefully, it will be an inspirational story to counter that ‘achievement fatigue’.
Roger Burlinson
Director of Programming - Outdoors TV
Climbing Everest is practically derided nowadays as a tourist trip and yet, in spite of the assistance most climbers receive, this is still a challenge that can take you to the very brink of existence. Once upon a time, running the London Marathon was a major achievement, now it seems that if you haven’t yet run it, you are somehow not complete!
Is it because of the perceived ubiquity of these challenges or is it media over saturation? Does this mean that, as a society, we have simply become numb to acts of great adventure – have we got ‘achievement fatigue’?
I hope not, because we’re going to be making a documentary next year about one of the toughest inland water challenges going – The Devizes to Westminster canoe marathon. This is an event that caught my imagination as soon as I heard of it & I must admit I’m really looking forward to spending four days living out of the back of a van filming it!
There are a couple of categories to the ‘DW’ but the main race is the non-stop doubles race – 125 miles without rest & going right through the night in sub zero temperatures. The current record is a little over 15 hours & 30 minutes. The canoeing community call this the Everest of canoeing. While the conditions may seem a bit more welcoming than the Lhotse Face, the gruelling nature of the challenge, surely justifies the comparison.
Tactics will play a major role as well. All paddlers will have to plan to arrive at Teddington Lock in time to catch the flow of the tide up to Westminster. Otherwise, they’ll be on a wet & turbulent tread mill!
This will be our first major documentary following the public launch of the channel next Spring &, hopefully, it will be an inspirational story to counter that ‘achievement fatigue’.
Roger Burlinson
Director of Programming - Outdoors TV
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Rumble in the....woodlands!
Recently, a rather nice golden egg fell into our laps! Being based on the edge of the New Forest has, so far, been a bit of a hindrance in the production of our programmes for Outdoors TV. I joked once with a rock climber I was filming that I lived roughly half way between the Alps & the Scottish Highlands. “Ah yes”, she replied “but not close to either”!
She was right of course, but in reality, I don’t have a problem with that. I need to be relatively close to London for clients & also we have some great facilities & recreation opportunities down here. The forest itself is the most divine space. OK, it’s not as wild as Snowdonia or Scotland but it IS a real wilderness & can provide wonderful isolation if you know where to look.
So what about that egg? We’ll, the golden egg came in the shape of the New Forest National Park Authority’s Draught Recreation Strategy…………… Anticipating your confusion, let me explain!
Recently, the National Park Authority (NPA) published its plan for the future of recreation in the forest. Instantly the local newspaper published warnings that the end of the world was nigh!
For us, having a major outdoors news story on our doorstep is a great opportunity! Very quickly, we made the decision to produce an investigative documentary about the whole issue & to look at whether it might set a precedent for other National Parks. Being local, we would be able to devote a great deal of time to the programme & tackle some of the issues in detail, in order to get to the truth.
So far, we’ve filmed at two public gatherings, both of which seem to indicate that there is a significant subtext to the debate that has nothing to do with the specifics of the proposals – the question of whether the NPA should even exist.
So far, this question has been the main thrust of the argument made by the two local MPs and the ‘consultation process’ does seem to be getting increasingly political. So, the battle lines have been drawn & I’m not entirely sure that the NPA quite realises the full extent of the can of worms it has opened!
Keeping an objective viewpoint on these matters can be difficult, especially when proposals are being made about the area you live & play in. It is already clear to me that there are questions to answer about the proposals but whether the threat is as real as some are suggesting remains to be seen.
The big issues seem to be more about competence in the composition & publication of the report & how proposals can be made when there is so little factual evidence on which to base them, rather than any real & present danger to forest access. For instance, incendiary remarks have been included when at this stage there really is no need & the reaction of locals & the media could surely have been predicted.
So, after round one, the NPA has already received a cut under the eye & will need to take stock of the reaction to the report if it is to win round local people. I suspect from some of the remarks coming not just from the crowd at the last meeting but from the MPs & other officials, that this might be an impossible task. Whatever happens, producing this documentary is going to be a thoroughly engaging process!
Roger Burlinson
Director of Programming - Outdoors TV
She was right of course, but in reality, I don’t have a problem with that. I need to be relatively close to London for clients & also we have some great facilities & recreation opportunities down here. The forest itself is the most divine space. OK, it’s not as wild as Snowdonia or Scotland but it IS a real wilderness & can provide wonderful isolation if you know where to look.
So what about that egg? We’ll, the golden egg came in the shape of the New Forest National Park Authority’s Draught Recreation Strategy…………… Anticipating your confusion, let me explain!
Recently, the National Park Authority (NPA) published its plan for the future of recreation in the forest. Instantly the local newspaper published warnings that the end of the world was nigh!
For us, having a major outdoors news story on our doorstep is a great opportunity! Very quickly, we made the decision to produce an investigative documentary about the whole issue & to look at whether it might set a precedent for other National Parks. Being local, we would be able to devote a great deal of time to the programme & tackle some of the issues in detail, in order to get to the truth.
So far, we’ve filmed at two public gatherings, both of which seem to indicate that there is a significant subtext to the debate that has nothing to do with the specifics of the proposals – the question of whether the NPA should even exist.
So far, this question has been the main thrust of the argument made by the two local MPs and the ‘consultation process’ does seem to be getting increasingly political. So, the battle lines have been drawn & I’m not entirely sure that the NPA quite realises the full extent of the can of worms it has opened!
Keeping an objective viewpoint on these matters can be difficult, especially when proposals are being made about the area you live & play in. It is already clear to me that there are questions to answer about the proposals but whether the threat is as real as some are suggesting remains to be seen.
The big issues seem to be more about competence in the composition & publication of the report & how proposals can be made when there is so little factual evidence on which to base them, rather than any real & present danger to forest access. For instance, incendiary remarks have been included when at this stage there really is no need & the reaction of locals & the media could surely have been predicted.
So, after round one, the NPA has already received a cut under the eye & will need to take stock of the reaction to the report if it is to win round local people. I suspect from some of the remarks coming not just from the crowd at the last meeting but from the MPs & other officials, that this might be an impossible task. Whatever happens, producing this documentary is going to be a thoroughly engaging process!
Roger Burlinson
Director of Programming - Outdoors TV
Friday, 10 October 2008
Welcome to Outdoors TV
Post number one on the Outdoors TV blog!
Outdoors TV is launching to the public in spring 2009. It will be a channel for all outdoors enthusiasts of the UK/European variety, rather the US type (with fishing & hunting etc). That's not to say we disapprove of these pastimes or don't want North American viewers, it's just that over here outdoors is mostly about camping, walking, mountaineering etc & over there, it has a different meaning, so we just want to make that clear from the outset!
Outdoors TV will cover mountaineering, rock climbing, walking, hiking, wild camping, mountain biking, canoeing & kayaking, triathlon, trail & fell running &, in fact, any other pursuit or issue that will be of interest to outdoors people. There will be documentaries, magazine programmes, event coverage & destination profiles. The channel is for the adult audience &, as such, will show proper programmes, not just video clips or DVD promos.
Everything that goes on the channel will have been produced specifically for Outdoors TV. You might think of it as a kind of BBC for outdoors enthusiasts, just without all the celebrity dancing! We're committed to producing interesting material that will provide informative entertainment for those times when you can't be outside.
We're forming links all the time with organisations who can help us get the style & content just right for each interest group & we're also open to invitations from clubs & organisations to make programmes with or about them. Inclusion is a big issue for us & we want all outdoors enthusiasts to feel that Outdoors TV is THEIR channel.
So how will it all work? We'll, for starters, in the UK & Europe, outdoor pursuits are largely free (apart from buying the kit you need). So, it seems logical that, to gain & keep our audience's support, the programmes should be free to view & that's the way it will be! No registering, no loging on, no passwords. Just go to the site & watch, because, after all, that's what you do in the outdoors. You don't go to the base of Helvelyn & enter your username & password into the stile to start your walk, so we don't want to put any obstacles in your way before watching our programmes.
What this does mean is that we will be including commercial elements in the programmes themselves, which will basically allow us to exist! Producing original programmes costs a lot of money & we think it is better to sell a little product placement or to have a programme sponsored by an appropriate organisation & to keep our independence & free programming.
In reality, commercialisation of programmes will have a minimal impact on the viewer's experience. Almost all outdoors DVDs have some form of sponsorship & this doesn't detract from the subject or the endeavour.
We will also be managing expectations in order that the channel can grow organically, which is the way we preserve our principles & deliver quality programmes. When you try to provide a daily schedule of programmes from scratch, that's when the quality & originality starts to slip. So, from the outset, we will be aiming to deliver a new programme every week & as the channel grows, so too will the variety of the schedule.
We hope our viewers will understand our desire to provide only new material & that this takes time to produce. We also hope that they will appreciate that this channel offers them something new & that in the long term, with their support, Outdoors TV will be a channel delivering an exciting schedule of programmes to satisfy their needs.
We'll be charting the channel's progress over the next six months in this Blog, giving you an insight into developments leading up to the launch. There are sample programmes showing on the channel already, so do take a look, if you haven't done so already. Otherwise, I'll see you next time.
Roger Burlinson
Director of Programming - Outdoors TV
Outdoors TV is launching to the public in spring 2009. It will be a channel for all outdoors enthusiasts of the UK/European variety, rather the US type (with fishing & hunting etc). That's not to say we disapprove of these pastimes or don't want North American viewers, it's just that over here outdoors is mostly about camping, walking, mountaineering etc & over there, it has a different meaning, so we just want to make that clear from the outset!
Outdoors TV will cover mountaineering, rock climbing, walking, hiking, wild camping, mountain biking, canoeing & kayaking, triathlon, trail & fell running &, in fact, any other pursuit or issue that will be of interest to outdoors people. There will be documentaries, magazine programmes, event coverage & destination profiles. The channel is for the adult audience &, as such, will show proper programmes, not just video clips or DVD promos.
Everything that goes on the channel will have been produced specifically for Outdoors TV. You might think of it as a kind of BBC for outdoors enthusiasts, just without all the celebrity dancing! We're committed to producing interesting material that will provide informative entertainment for those times when you can't be outside.
We're forming links all the time with organisations who can help us get the style & content just right for each interest group & we're also open to invitations from clubs & organisations to make programmes with or about them. Inclusion is a big issue for us & we want all outdoors enthusiasts to feel that Outdoors TV is THEIR channel.
So how will it all work? We'll, for starters, in the UK & Europe, outdoor pursuits are largely free (apart from buying the kit you need). So, it seems logical that, to gain & keep our audience's support, the programmes should be free to view & that's the way it will be! No registering, no loging on, no passwords. Just go to the site & watch, because, after all, that's what you do in the outdoors. You don't go to the base of Helvelyn & enter your username & password into the stile to start your walk, so we don't want to put any obstacles in your way before watching our programmes.
What this does mean is that we will be including commercial elements in the programmes themselves, which will basically allow us to exist! Producing original programmes costs a lot of money & we think it is better to sell a little product placement or to have a programme sponsored by an appropriate organisation & to keep our independence & free programming.
In reality, commercialisation of programmes will have a minimal impact on the viewer's experience. Almost all outdoors DVDs have some form of sponsorship & this doesn't detract from the subject or the endeavour.
We will also be managing expectations in order that the channel can grow organically, which is the way we preserve our principles & deliver quality programmes. When you try to provide a daily schedule of programmes from scratch, that's when the quality & originality starts to slip. So, from the outset, we will be aiming to deliver a new programme every week & as the channel grows, so too will the variety of the schedule.
We hope our viewers will understand our desire to provide only new material & that this takes time to produce. We also hope that they will appreciate that this channel offers them something new & that in the long term, with their support, Outdoors TV will be a channel delivering an exciting schedule of programmes to satisfy their needs.
We'll be charting the channel's progress over the next six months in this Blog, giving you an insight into developments leading up to the launch. There are sample programmes showing on the channel already, so do take a look, if you haven't done so already. Otherwise, I'll see you next time.
Roger Burlinson
Director of Programming - Outdoors TV
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