shark-week-620x370The Discovery Channel has announced its lineup for Shark Week 2015 which begins on Sunday, July 5 and runs through Sunday, July 12.

opinionsWhen new Discovery Channel President Rich Ross began in January, he promised to make changes in the way Discovery approaches shows, seemingly intending to honor Discovery’s promise to be “the world’s #1 nonfiction media company”. Regarding last year’s run of  fake documentaries (such as “Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives” and “Mermaids: The New Evidence”), Ross said, “I don’t think [fake documentaries are] right for Discovery Channel, and think it’s something that has run its course.”

Discuss Shark Week 2015 in our Discussion Forum HERE

“I would say the most important thing is that this network and flagship of this company could stand for is, if there was one word, it would be authentic,” he told reporters at the Television Critics Association press tour. “It’s really important that we look into this incredible brand and all the programming we make and make sure that’s what we stand for.”

Megladon-monster-shark

Based on the new lineup of shows, it appears that Rich Ross and the Discovery Channel have come through on their promise, at least as far as producing fake documentaries and presenting them as being authentic.

Here’s a look at the 2015 Shark Week lineup:

Sunday, July 5
8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT – “Shark Trek”
9:00-10:00 p.m. EDT – “Island of the Mega Shark”
10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT – “Monster Mako”
11:00-11:30 p.m. EDT – “Shark After Dark:

Monday, July 6
9:00-10:00 p.m. EDT – “Return of the Giant White Serial Killer”
10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT – “Alien Sharks: Close Encounters”
11:00-11:30 p.m. EDT – “Shark After Dark”

Tuesday, July 7
9:00-10:00 p.m. EDT – “Bride of Jaws”
10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT – “Tiburones: Sharks of Cuba”
11:00-11:30 p.m. EDT – “Shark After Dark”

Wednesday, July 8
9:00-10:00 p.m. EDT – “Super Predator”
10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT – “Ninja Sharks”
11:00-11:30 p.m. EDT – “Shark After Dark”

Thursday, July 9
9:00-11:00 p.m. EDT – “Shark Planet”
11:00-11:30 p.m. EDT – “Shark After Dark”

Friday, July 10
9:00-10:00 p.m. EDT – “Sharks of the Shadowland”
10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT – “Shark Clans”

Saturday, July 11
9:00-10:00 p.m. EDT – “Sharksanity 2”

Sunday, July 12
8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT – “Shark Island”

 

While the 2015 shows appear to be real documentaries (as promised), there’s one caveat: virtually all of the shows (based on their titles and briefs) still appear to portray sharks in a negative light. Shark Week has, since its beginning, been about exploiting the public’s fearful fascination with them. While it’s good entertainment for many (The 27th edition of Shark Week became the most-watched ever for the event in women 18-49 (639,000), women 25-54 (621,000) and adults 25-54 (1.4 million), according to Nielsen’s “live plus same-day” estimates), it’s bad for the images of sharks. After all, will people be inclined to protect sharks if they believe they are bloodthirsty killing machines?

shark-attack-risk

At least this year you won’t go to work and hear co-workers talk about the mermaids that were recently discovered by NOAA researchers, or how a giant Megalodon is swallowing up fishing boats.

Discuss Shark Week 2015 in our Discussion Forum HERE.

– Chris Constantine
California Diver