Light (BBC4) in our darkness

Did anyone else see the (much trailed) Light programme on BBC4 last
night. It wasn't too bad despite the presumed short audience attention
span. Some parts were well done on the history of optics and light. The
tendency of early researchers in this field to spend long periods in
gaol etc..

Afterwards pressing the red button gave a short introduction to the
constellations of the winter night sky. It was going pretty well right
up to the point where they showed how to find the "famous Great Nebula
in Orion" but instead showed how to locate the dim horsehead nebula and
a picture of it. Not likely that anyone will see much of that by eye in
the UK. Hopefully they might still be able to spot the true Great Nebula
in the same binocular field though.

This is a pretty crass mistake. Does nobody check BBC output for
accuracy these days?

Regards,
Martin Brown

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
Did anyone else see the (much trailed) Light programme on BBC4 last night.
It wasn't too bad despite the presumed short audience attention span. Some
parts were well done on the history of optics and light. The tendency of
early researchers in this field to spend long periods in gaol etc..

Afterwards pressing the red button gave a short introduction to the
constellations of the winter night sky. It was going pretty well right up
to the point where they showed how to find the "famous Great Nebula in
Orion" but instead showed how to locate the dim horsehead nebula and a
picture of it. Not likely that anyone will see much of that by eye in the
UK. Hopefully they might still be able to spot the true Great Nebula in
the same binocular field though.

This is a pretty crass mistake. Does nobody check BBC output for accuracy
these days?

Regards,
Martin Brown

Yes, I heard there is one person in White City who knows everything about
every subject, and he watches all programmes on all channels before they are
transmitted. He also listens to all national and regional radio at the same
time while reading every page uploaded to bbc.co.uk.

Meanwhile, back in the world of reality, the programme's producer is
responsible for the programme and if you feel there is something inaccurate
in it then he or she is the person you should contact. Or you can call 08700
100 222 and talk to a nice person at the BBC Call Centre in Belfast who will
note your comments and add it to the Duty Log which every member of staff
can access.

Mark S wrote:
"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...

Did anyone else see the (much trailed) Light programme on BBC4 last night.
It wasn't too bad despite the presumed short audience attention span. Some
parts were well done on the history of optics and light. The tendency of
early researchers in this field to spend long periods in gaol etc..

Afterwards pressing the red button gave a short introduction to the
constellations of the winter night sky. It was going pretty well right up
to the point where they showed how to find the "famous Great Nebula in
Orion" but instead showed how to locate the dim horsehead nebula and a
picture of it. Not likely that anyone will see much of that by eye in the
UK. Hopefully they might still be able to spot the true Great Nebula in
the same binocular field though.

This is a pretty crass mistake. Does nobody check BBC output for accuracy
these days?

Regards,
Martin Brown


Yes, I heard there is one person in White City who knows everything about
every subject, and he watches all programmes on all channels before they are
transmitted. He also listens to all national and regional radio at the same
time while reading every page uploaded to bbc.co.uk.

Meanwhile, back in the world of reality, the programme's producer is
responsible for the programme and if you feel there is something inaccurate
in it then he or she is the person you should contact. Or you can call 08700
100 222 and talk to a nice person at the BBC Call Centre in Belfast who will
note your comments and add it to the Duty Log which every member of staff
can access.

I feel that the sarcasm is slightly OTT here ! Valid sentiments from
Martin, for a *scientific* programme.

There is usually a credit given in *most* programmes of this nature, for
"researcher", but obviously not in this instance....

The BBC website has this already stated :

"The BBCi programme accompanying Light Fantastic referred to the Great
Orion Nebula but showed a picture of the Horse Head Nebulae IC434. As I
understand, The Great Orion Nebula is in fact M42.
Phil Alner, Fleet, UK

BBC Four: Yes you're right. Please accept our apologies - we're updating
the reference. Unfortunately this may not be in time for the
transmission on Thursday 2 December. "

So at least they accept crits when they are wrong.

--
Best Regards,

David Harris
**** Please remove the *NOSP!AM* in
"reply-to" address to reply ****
http://www.g8ina.enta.net
http://www.harrisphotography.co.uk

On Thu, 2 Dec 2004 12:47:50 -0000, "Mark S" wrote:

Yes, I heard there is one person in White City who knows everything about
every subject, and he watches all programmes on all channels before they are
transmitted. He also listens to all national and regional radio at the same
time while reading every page uploaded to bbc.co.uk.

Meanwhile, back in the world of reality, the programme's producer is
responsible for the programme and if you feel there is something inaccurate
in it then he or she is the person you should contact. Or you can call 08700
100 222 and talk to a nice person at the BBC Call Centre in Belfast who will
note your comments and add it to the Duty Log which every member of staff
can access.

As they were making a point of pointing out the Great Nebula in Orion,
perhaps they should have put a bit more effort into making sure that
what they were showing was indeed the Great Nebula.

Basic facts *should* be checked by the programme makers otherwise we
might all get wise and stop believing what the TV tells us ;-) Sloppy
standards... Ahh just time for another reality-TV show I think...

--
Pete
http://www.digitalsky.org.uk

"David Harris" wrote:

BBC Four: Yes you're right. Please accept our apologies - we're updating
the reference. Unfortunately this may not be in time for the
transmission on Thursday 2 December. "

So at least they accept crits when they are wrong.

That's good to hear. I just received a BBC Science & Nature
newsletter by e-mail (can't think why, I don't remember signing up
for it and I don't even own a TV!!!) which has links to the series.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documen...enhanced.shtml

"The brightness of stars informs us about their relative size. The more
red they are the greater distance they are from Earth."

Ummm, not quite. Sounds like they will be responding to quite a few
crits as the series progresses.

In message , Ed
writes

"David Harris" wrote:

BBC Four: Yes you're right. Please accept our apologies - we're updating
the reference. Unfortunately this may not be in time for the
transmission on Thursday 2 December. "

So at least they accept crits when they are wrong.

That's good to hear. I just received a BBC Science & Nature
newsletter by e-mail (can't think why, I don't remember signing up
for it and I don't even own a TV!!!) which has links to the series.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documen...enhanced.shtml

"The brightness of stars informs us about their relative size. The more
red they are the greater distance they are from Earth."



I suppose the light colour of the text is symbolic. It gave me instant
eyestrain.

Pete Lawrence wrote:

On Thu, 2 Dec 2004 12:47:50 -0000, "Mark S" wrote:

Yes, I heard there is one person in White City who knows everything about
every subject, and he watches all programmes on all channels before they are
transmitted. He also listens to all national and regional radio at the same
time while reading every page uploaded to bbc.co.uk.

Meanwhile, back in the world of reality, the programme's producer is
responsible for the programme and if you feel there is something inaccurate
in it then he or she is the person you should contact. Or you can call 08700
100 222 and talk to a nice person at the BBC Call Centre in Belfast who will
note your comments and add it to the Duty Log which every member of staff
can access.

As they were making a point of pointing out the Great Nebula in Orion,
perhaps they should have put a bit more effort into making sure that
what they were showing was indeed the Great Nebula.

Basic facts *should* be checked by the programme makers otherwise we
might all get wise and stop believing what the TV tells us ;-) Sloppy
standards... Ahh just time for another reality-TV show I think...

It's not just sloppy standards, but calls into question the accuracy of
other material. If they can't get something simple right it devalues the
whole programme.

--

Peter

Ed wrote:
"David Harris" wrote:

BBC Four: Yes you're right. Please accept our apologies - we're updating
the reference. Unfortunately this may not be in time for the
transmission on Thursday 2 December. "

So at least they accept crits when they are wrong.

That's good to hear. I just received a BBC Science & Nature
newsletter by e-mail (can't think why, I don't remember signing up
for it and I don't even own a TV!!!) which has links to the series.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documen...enhanced.shtml

"The brightness of stars informs us about their relative size. The more
red they are the greater distance they are from Earth."

Ummm, not quite. Sounds like they will be responding to quite a few
crits as the series progresses.

I wonder who was the technical consultant that let this one out. Hells
bells it would get 0/10 in a school essay. It is so far away from the
truth that it is not even worth trying to correct. Better to start again.

BBC Science dumbed down to *below* the lowest common denominator

There was a time when the BBC broadcast the RI Christmas Lectures - this
years are by Lloyd Peck on ‘To the end of the Earth: surviving Antarctic
extremes’. Channel 4 will continue to broadcast it and other real
science programs.

http://www.rigb.org/rimain/events/christmaslectures.jsp

Sounds interesting.

Regards,
Martin Brown