Dive Dry with Dr. Bill

Public Access TV Show

Dr. Bill Bushing produces a daily 30-minute public access cable television show titled "Dive Dry with Dr. Bill." This show consists of a variety of different types of episodes, all featuring subjects related to marine life, natural history, marine ecology, conservation and other environmental issues. It is hoped that these shows will give the non-diving public a chance to "Dive Dry" by viewing them from the comfort of their favorite easy chair or couch, no cold water or wetsuit required.

Both Jacques Cousteau and his son Jean-Michel Cousteau have said that humans only protect what they love, and love what they know. This concept was first suggested by Senegalese poet and environmentalist Baba Dioum in a talk to the Indian National Congress in 1968. The important thing is that it is true. People are more likely to protect the Yosemites and Grand Canyons of the world because they are able to visit them personally and see their beauty and aesthetic (not to mention ecological) value first-hand. However only a small percentage of the world's population actually sees the marine habitats that comprise 70% of Planet Ocean with their own eyes.

Dr. Bushing has produced more than 100 episodes of this show. Most of these episodes focus on what he calls "Dive Highlights," featuring the most interesting footage from a set of his recent dives. The highlights of each dive over a weekend, or a week, are compiled and a soundtrack and narration added. This allows for the show to quickly present recent observations in the local waters of Santa Catalina Island and southern California.

Addition episodes in the show's series focus on a given species and its natural history. To date these episodes include specials on the Great White Sharks of Guadalupe Island, Baja California Sur, Mexico; California Sea Lions; Mating Market Squid; and the Giant Sea Bass. Future episodes of this type are planned as edited footage of each species is compiled and edited.

A third type of episode features highlights from dives made elsewhere in the world. Dr. Bushing occasionally takes dive trips to other continents, as well as other sites in our own country, and produces 30-minute shows featuring the unique aspects of these dive sites. Sample episodes include several on the marine life of the Gulf of California, Belize and the Honduran Bay Islands, and the Florida Keys. Future episodes are planned for dive trips to the Red Sea, the Maldives, the Galapagos... and, with any luck, Antarctica!

The episodes in "Dive Dry with Dr. Bill" are formatted to fill a non-commercial, public access time slot. Current episodes are filmed on mini DV digital tapes. As of April 27, 2007, filming in high definition (HD) will begin to take advantage of the superior resolution of this new digital format which will soon become the standard for all broadcast television in the United States.

Currently Dr. Bill has over 50 episodes which are ready to be syndicated on mainland public access cable TV stations. If you are a broadcaster in search of high quality programming for your public access channel, please contact Dr. Bushing (bushing@post.harvard.edu). If you are interested in the marine life of southern California, and would like to see Dr. Bushing's show broadcast on your cable network, write your cable provider and tell them of this opportunity.

In the near future a new commercial television series, tentatively titled "Munching and Mating in the Macrocystis" is being created using the footage acquired for the "Dive Dry" series, but organized as an introduction to the natural history and marine ecology of the hundreds of species that reside in our giant kelp forests. Episodes in this series will be 22 minutes long, allowing for commercial sponsorship.

See "Dive Dry with Dr. Bill" on the following cable networks:

Catalina Cable TV, Avalon, Santa Catalina Island, Monday thru Friday at 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM on Channel 49.

Charter Communications Cable in the on Riverside/Norco service area, Tuesdays at 8:30 PM on Channel 33
(with thanks to James Trotter of Charter).

This web page last updated October 10, 2007

This document maintained by Dr. Bill Bushing.
Material © 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Star Thrower Educational Multimedia