In Chapter 6 of Reel Nature, Gregg Mitman goes directly to the heart of the success of so many nature programs by describing the family togetherness promoted by the advent of television. After Marlin Perkins failed a 1944 attempt to spread the treasures of the zoo to the masses over the airwaves, an increase in television ownership five years later allowed his show to reach 11 million Americas each week. This growth spurred the development of many similar shows that all had the same goal of providing entertainment for the entire family. I believe that Mitman correctly identifies the niche filled by nature programs as a way for families to enjoy time together while being entertained and educated by the animal kingdom. Not only did these shows feed the imaginations of a new generation of youth, but they served as a distraction from the terror present in the outside world.
One of the most interesting facts cited in the piece is a study which found “watching Wild Kingdom ranked second in their list of activities involving interaction with animals”. This program had clearly become an American staple as viewers experienced the wonders of the outside world from the comfort of their living room. As stated in a 1944 advertisement, television allowed anyone to become “an armchair Columbus”. This development stretched the imaginations of millions of Americans in the safe, secure confines of the family unit. The best example of this is the Easter episode of Zoo Parade, where Perkins described all the animals as “one big happy family”. Parents knew that by allowing their children to watch Zoo Parade and Wild Kingdom, they were viewing something educational, enjoyable, and free of the perils found in many communities.
Just like the explosion of television ownership, the pet population also underwent a boom in the 1950s, reaching over 200 million. Zoo Parade was one of the first shows to capitalize on their viewer base as they took on sponsors such as Jewel Food Stores and Ken-L-Rations. This represents one of the first examples of the marketing industry we know today. The use of special edition cards that were connected to the show was a very effective way of engaging the youth audience and getting their parents to shop at a certain store or buy a certain product. Families and corporations alike benefitted from this new era of entertainment and expanded the role television would play in our daily lives. Despite the eventual downfall of both Zoo Planet and Wild Kingdom, both shows served as groundbreaking new ways for families to reconnect and displayed the usefulness of technology in modern society.
Danny: I think the Perkins shows aired much later than 1944... maybe you were thinking of some of the first True-Life Adventure films from Disney? As for your focus on the family and wholesome television entertainment, don't you think there is some level of irony or criticism operating in Mitman's discussion of the topic? Though it is entirely human to ignore the threat of nuclear war and take refuge in televisual nature, doesn't that speak to an inability to engage either nuclear war or nature on more meaningful terms?
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