Major Broadcast Networks Go Green for Earth Day 2009
by Amanda Wills
Published on April 16th, 2009
2 Comments
In celebration of Earth Day 2009, several major broadcast media outlets will air green-themed TV programs. Fox Broadcasting, NBC and Nickelodeon will participate in the event that will include on-air graphics and informative segments about going green.
The Today Show is just one of several NBC programs that will feature episodes on going green for Earth Day 2009. Photo: Herobags.wordpress.com
Media Daily News reports that Fox will kick off its “Green It. Mean It” series on April 19 and will run through Earth Day. The theme is based around reducing the network’s impact on the world’s climate by becoming carbon neutral by 2010. In addition, Fox.com will host a sister site that will feature “Green Tips,” which will also be published daily on social networking sites such as Twitter and MySpace.
NBC is also another major network that will dedicate air time to their Earth Week. Starting on April 19 with the Miss USA pageant, NBC will air more than 150 hours of eco-friendly programming across its 40 on-air and digital brands. This will include a four-part series called “Future Earth,” which will air on MSNBC. This is NBC’s second annual Earth Week.
Lauren Zalaznick, the Bravo network chief and head of the NBC Universal Green Council, tells the Associated Press that the network does not “shy away” from environmentally friendly efforts. Zalaznick also says NBC isn’t stopping their green efforts after Earth Day. The network is already working on two other “green weeks.”
“This is about awareness,” she says. “Nobody argues that picking up garbage is not a good idea, or recycling your cell phone is not a good idea.”
Younger audiences will have an Earth Day outlet as well. Nickelodeon has also scheduled green-themed episodes of The Wonder Pets, Olivia, Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!, iCarly and Yo Gabba Gabba! The programming will depict real kids actively participating in Earth Day and improving the environment. But the coolest thing Nickelodeon will do is ask kids to unplug their games and gadgets for 60 seconds on April 22 at 9 p.m.
Nickelodeon is also encouraging kids to take action with its new program, The Big Green Help. Designed to promote more than 500 local grassroots Earth Day events, the program will support school and local organizations with sustainability projects. The network will accept applications online from April 22 through Dec. 31.
Trey Granger
posted on April 17th, 2009 at 8:53 am
I like when NBC had its Green Week a couple of years with environmentally-themed programming and green tips randomly appearing at the bottom of the screen. It’s great to get the environment in the mainstream.
Eleanor Dowling
posted on April 17th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
I think it’s really important that we get media out there aimed at teaching kids about environmentalism. I’m really glad to hear that Nickelodeon is doing green-themed episodes. If we can get our world’s kids on board with going green, the adults will have to follow, right?
I know a guy named Christopher Swain who’s about to embark on an amazing 1,000 mile swim from Boston, MA to Washington D.C. to raise awareness about ocean health. Along the way he’s gonna stop at tons of classrooms to teach kids about pollution and how it effects our oceans. Christopher always says that if you can teach the kids right, they can start to bother their parents, and it’ll go from there! There’s more info about Christopher at http://www.changents.com/christopherswain.