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I am proud to announce that my educational underwater program Jonathan Bird's Blue World has started airing on public television in the USA.
The program began as a TV pilot but didn't get picked up by a network, so we took it to the internet where it gained a lot of popularity in schools as an educational tool. Then we were noticed by a public television syndicator and we came full circle...back to TV.
Broadcast of Jonathan Bird's Blue World began in May on public television across the U.S. Check here for your local broadcast. (New stations are signing on all the time).
Jonathan Bird's Blue World is a family-friendly underwater exploration program hosted by a fun guy (me!) and is enjoyed by anyone from 8 to 80 who loves the ocean. You can see web-length episodes for free on the website. I hope everyone will check it out.
Congratulations. Good to see offerings like yours making it and helping to inform both divers and non-divers about the marine world.
Thanks Dr. Bill! Let me tell you, it has been a LONG road.
We made the pilot in 2001. Shopped it around for 5 years. Found no takers. (Discovery Kids said it was "Well produced but too educational for us." We heard stuff like that a lot). During the time we were shopping it around, I was shooting segments here and there whenever possible while I was on assignment. By 2007 I had about 15 segments (enough for 5 half-hour programs) in the can. I decided to start putting the segments on a website because it seemed like a waste that nobody would see any of them. I wrote study guides for teachers and put out the word. It gained a lot of popularity on the website (although ironically, it did horribly on YouTube. Seems educational stuff is not what people go to YouTube for...)
PBS syndication is probably the best outlet for the program...it's exactly the demographic we are going for. The problem is finding underwriters, because public television has almost no direct funding for shows. Anyone know a company that might want to sponsor a show like this? Great opportunities for good PR advertising on public TV.
Nonetheless, we are hard at work on a full 13 episode (39 segment) second season.
Jonathan, really fantastic work. It's a shame it took so long, but congratulations on syndication. I actually saw the blue shark episode on YouTube last year before heading out on with Captain Donilon and really enjoyed the segment. It certainly helped me with the comfort level outside the cage . I watched a few more on the site and they are really well done. Very glad to hear there's another season in the works.
Also, great idea with the lessons plans. My girlfriend is actually an elementary school teacher (and diver I'm happy to say) and I would love to see if she could work this this into the curriculum, the kids get so excited about this sort of thing.
Congratulations and best of luck. I will definitely be looking forward to seeing more, cheers.
I actually saw the blue shark episode on YouTube last year before heading out on with Captain Donilon and really enjoyed the segment.
Wow, someone that actually saw it on YouTube! Cool! (Image quality is so much better on our site using quicktime H.264 files though!) Thanks for your comments. Charlie is a great great guy! I need to get out on his new boat soon.
We just got a market area update this morning and I am excited to discover that we are now in 25% of the households with TV in the USA: over 40 markets in 18 states including 9 of the top 25 markets. Very exciting stuff for us.
Anyone know one of the important people at PADI? This would be a perfect show for them to sponsor. It's aimed right at the demographic they want to get into diving.
Jonathan Bird's Blue World on Public TV
. I watched a few more on the site and they are really well done. Very glad to hear there's another season in the works. 
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