D
Davy North
Guest
I didn't hear the broadcast Graham mentioned, and in some ways I'm glad I didn't. To hear two well respected, educated and articulate anglers unfairly shot down by a pair of radio half wits would be more than I could take. However I can imagaine the kind of ill-informed tosh after hearing Chris Evens and his hangers on comment on anti angling day a few years back.
It's easy to dismiss this kind of thing, but it worries me. In fact I think it can do more damage than a whole army of anti's.
The utra trendy world of TV and radio production will be a place where the anti's message will find support, not from any moral stand point, but just to look "right on" and "PC". I remember an interview with radio DJ Bruno Brooks, who is a keen angler. He admitted it is hard for people in the media who fish to own up to it for this very reason.
The worst kind of program in my view are the Rolf Harris vet type thing, of which they are many. I cringe as old Rolf with sad eyes looks over the cuddly woodly animals, knowing any minute now we are going to see a swan tangled in fishing line or with a hook in its beak. Don't disgard your tackle would be the answer here, but it's still not a level playing field. The now famous episopde with the ill sawn, cut open to reveal, shock horror anglers lead shot proved that. The shot was obviously uncut shotgun pellets, and the fact that lead shot had been outlawed years still didn't figure. Still the general public, if you excuise the pun will have swallowed it hook line and sinker.
I know I'm going one a bit but it does worry me. The public may not be willing to take on board the rantings of an over zealous anti, but if things like this are "on the telly", or the radio then it must be true. The fact that I'm not sure how you combat these things bothers me as well, as the bias radio program proved, in their world they hold all the trump cards.
Last week the Angling Times asked what are the chances of a classic program like "A Passion For Angling" being made for terrestrial TV now. I would say very slim, but how much do we need something that can show the general public the true face of angling.
It's easy to dismiss this kind of thing, but it worries me. In fact I think it can do more damage than a whole army of anti's.
The utra trendy world of TV and radio production will be a place where the anti's message will find support, not from any moral stand point, but just to look "right on" and "PC". I remember an interview with radio DJ Bruno Brooks, who is a keen angler. He admitted it is hard for people in the media who fish to own up to it for this very reason.
The worst kind of program in my view are the Rolf Harris vet type thing, of which they are many. I cringe as old Rolf with sad eyes looks over the cuddly woodly animals, knowing any minute now we are going to see a swan tangled in fishing line or with a hook in its beak. Don't disgard your tackle would be the answer here, but it's still not a level playing field. The now famous episopde with the ill sawn, cut open to reveal, shock horror anglers lead shot proved that. The shot was obviously uncut shotgun pellets, and the fact that lead shot had been outlawed years still didn't figure. Still the general public, if you excuise the pun will have swallowed it hook line and sinker.
I know I'm going one a bit but it does worry me. The public may not be willing to take on board the rantings of an over zealous anti, but if things like this are "on the telly", or the radio then it must be true. The fact that I'm not sure how you combat these things bothers me as well, as the bias radio program proved, in their world they hold all the trump cards.
Last week the Angling Times asked what are the chances of a classic program like "A Passion For Angling" being made for terrestrial TV now. I would say very slim, but how much do we need something that can show the general public the true face of angling.
