It’s always a good idea to understand the origins and rationale behind something if one is going to discuss it, so I decided to look into Shark Week.
Shark week started on the 17th July 1988 in an attempt to develop an awareness, respect and as a result, love for the shark. It was started by the Discovery Channel and is held annually between July and September of each year.
During the past few years, Shark Week has taken on an entertainment value, sometime positive and other times negative, due to the airing of fictional dramatic programmes, such as Jaws, Shark Attack 3 and Deep Blue Sea, to name but a few ; but has proved to be the longest running TV programming event in television history. One of the most popular programmes and most watched is Megalodon – The Monster Shark Lives
The discussion point here, I believe, is whether Shark Week is in fact creating the right and positive type awareness that sharks so desperately need in order to remain in existence and not be just another “dinosaur” that our children and grandchildren can only see in books and programmes?
As from mid-2015 there is good news, Rich Ross Discovery’s new president, has vowed to remove all fake and pseudo documentaries, from all future Shark Week line ups, so we can be assured of only honest recollections of these magnificent creatures of t he deep.
Come and experience these breath taking creatures for yourself with an Airjaws or afternoon cage dive, where you may very well have the opportunity of looking into the eyes of one of the oceans oldest inhabitants.
Until we meet again, keep that toothy grin!
By Nadine Bentley