"Scouting for Adventure", Outdoor Channel (3Q2008)

[fgoodwin]

Outdoor Channel and Boy Scouts of America Team Up for Original Series Scouting for Adventure Presented by Boys' Life

 

 

http://tinyurl.com/5kg384

 

Original Series Based on the BSA's Flagship Magazine Boys' Life Targeting Young Outdoorsmen Teaches Wilderness Skills with Emphasis on Safety and Team Building

 

TEMECULA, Calif., May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Outdoor Channel, America's Leader in Outdoor TV, will partner with Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and Boys' Life Magazine to develop the network's original youth-oriented series, Scouting for Adventure Presented by Boys' Life. The six adventure-filled original episodes capture Scouts in action as they explore the wilderness and educate viewers on outdoor skills and BSA's core values of education, safety and team building.

 

Filmed at the National High Adventure Bases of Philmont Scout Ranch and The Florida Sea Base plus Scout camps across the country, cameras will follow Scouts as they take on intense outdoor obstacles and challenges, like coral reef sailing or mountain trekking. Each episode will also include safety tips and "how to" elements that complement the outdoor activity.

 

The series also incorporates "Eagle Scout Features", where celebrities and successful businessmen explain how the lessons learned in Scouting contributed to their careers and impacted their lives. Scouting for Adventure Presented by Boys' Life joins Outdoor Channel's unique programming lineup in Q3 of 2008.

 

[excerpted]

[ASM162]

I think this is great. I intend to watch this with my son.

 

One question: Is the "Outdoor Channel" the same as "Versus"?

I ask because I used to get the Outdoor Channel, but at some point it became Versus. I don't know if the cable company changed it or if the Outdoor Channel just changed it's name.

[fgoodwin]

I had the same question; I note that the Outdoor Channel and Versus have two different webpages:

 

http://www.outdoorchannel.com/

http://www.versus.com/

 

Versus is sometimes known as OLN (Outdoor Life Network). I think they are different networks.

[insanescouter]

I would love to watch this, but doubt I will have cable again by then .... maybe they will stream it from there website ... lol

 

Scott Robertson

http://insanescouter.org

[MissingArrow]

For those of you who couldn't catch the show on cable, Boy's Life is now selling season One of 'Scouting For Adventure' on DVD. Each DVD is $14.95, with discounts if you purchase 10 or more copies.

 

http://www.scoutingnews.org/2008/12/01/season-one-of-scouting-for-adventure-on-dvd-now/

 

 

[DeanRx]

I watched (and Tivo'd) all of season 1. It was a well thought out and a well produced series. Good interviews and some scouts telling about scouting in their own words. It also had its fill of "offical" BSA spokespersons preaching the "brand" for the show. It showed a lot of scouts "doing stuff" with a voice over from the camp director talking about abstract ideas, instead of the scouts talking about what THEY specifically did at camp.

 

My main complaint (I'll know get flamed on this)... was their OVER use of female campers and leaders in the series. I know they were trying to be inclusive and I'm fine with that.

 

However, if the aim is to promote Boy Scouting, then WHY have over 1/2 of a show interviewing a FEMALE camp counselor at Phillmont? OK, I'll REALLY be sexist and state if you ARE going to use up 1/2 a show interviewing a female camp counselor - at least get a GOOD LOOKING ONE to be on TV! Sorry, but sex sells - even when BSA is the product. They don't put the ugly scouts on the tins of popcorn - they put the "poster boys" of scouting on them. Why then, in the video media, do they use someone that #1 doesn't represent the base of the organization or #2 is not visually appealing to your target audience? I'm not saying you sex up a female and put her in a scout uniform. But at least they should be well kept and attractive.

 

Also, why have the majority of interviews done at the Florida Sea Base done with a FEMALE adult leader? Once again, not one that is "poster" material. I might get booed for this post, but frankly, I wouldn't put myself on a popcorn tin OR as a spokesperson on the show. I don't have the looks to be in front of the camera.

 

Don't get me wrong - I think both presenters did a GREAT job in conveying the scouting concepts and what each location was about. The content was fantastic - the producers just need to understand the packaging that is needed when working in the TV media.

 

I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that if USGSA had a similar series, they wouldn't be using male adult leaders to promote their program. Or if they did, they'd at least use decent looking men to do their sales pitch. No balding, fat, middle aged guys. More than likely - they wouldn't have any men shown in their promotional series at all.

 

Its almost as if BSA is soooo afraid of being labelled exclusive (gender biased), they went out of their way to project the opposite image. I half way expected to see a gay-atheist by the 3rd or 4th episode I recorded - just so they would be 'represented'.

 

It also seemed to be pretty heavily representative of venturing crews in the high adventure spots... maybe that's the reasons for the co-ed theme? None of it really focused on strickly Boy Scouts and no mention of Cub Scouts in any of the footage I saw. Guess the cubbies don't have any adventures...

 

Go ahead and flame away - this critique is mine and mine alone. Just watch it yourself and draw your own conclusions.

[BulldogBlitz]

i hear you dean. i don't get it either. it must be the void of strong (or even any) male adults which are being filled by female volunteers.

[frank6160]

Outdoor Channel and Versus are 2 different channels.

[SR540Beaver]

Dean,

 

You just lost three corners off of your diversity card! Watch it buster!

[shortridge]

I haven't seen the show yet, though I'd like to.

 

I'm curious about how much creative control the BSA had over the content, editing and production. If it was just a "partnership" at the business end, that might answer Dean's questions - maybe the "casting" decisions were made by the Outdoor Channel folks.