Just over 40 years ago, my parents and I watched one of the most historic programmes in TV broadcasting history.
On Sunday 25 June 1967, the Eurovision programme 'Our World' - the first-ever live international television production - was broadcast across the globe between 9pm and 11pm CET.
As the EBU website reminds us, it was an undertaking of incredible complexity, involving control rooms around the world, three satellites (Intelsat I, Intelsat II, and ATS-1), over 1.5 million km of cable, and ten thousand technicians and programme staff.
The ground rules for the show included that everything had to be live, and that no politicians or heads of state must be seen. Nevertheless, the world's politicians almost wrecked it. Just four days before the broadcast, five Eastern block countries dropped out. They were protesting the West's response to the 'Six day War' in the Middle East.
But the show went ahead to an estimated audience of between 400 and 700 million, an enormous audience even by today's standards. All in black and white, and various shades of grey, as colour TV was still in its infancy.
I remember watching, spellbound, as for its finale the programme went live to the recording studio in Abbey Road where The Beatles were putting the finishing touches to a song they had written specially for the occasion - All You Need is Love. Whenever I hear that recording, I think back to that warm evening in 1967, when we knew we had just witnessed a piece of broadcasting history. On Saturday 7 July, we will witness another.
40 years on
Intelsat again plays a major role in what's being billed as the largest High Definition music event in history. Live Earth, a worldwide series of concerts, will provide 24 hours of music from eight cities across seven continents, and will feature performances by more than 150 of the world's top musical artists. The estimated TV audience on this occasion is over two billion, about a third of the world's population. Most will watch in colour, and a lucky minority in High Definition.
But, technically impressive though it will be, this 24-hour event isn't primarily intended to show off the latest technology. There's a more pressing reason. The aim is to deliver a worldwide call to action, and find the solutions necessary to deal with climate change and global warming. Live Earth is just the beginning of a multi-year campaign to drive individuals, corporations and governments to take the necessary steps.
Global partnership
Live Earth is partnering with the Alliance for Climate Protection, The Climate Group, Stop Climate Chaos and other international organizations in this ongoing effort. Live Earth was founded by Kevin Wall, a worldwide executive producer of the Live 8 concert series in 2005, and is supported by former US Vice President Al Gore.
The exact details of radio and TV coverage will vary from country to country. Some, like the Netherlands, are taking the whole 24-hour package, others are airing shorter segments, though may have recorded highlights of the bits they didn't carry live. Major concerts to be shown on TV will take place in New York, Rio de Janeiro, London, Johannesburg, Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney and Hamburg.
The concert planned for Rio de Janeiro, was almost cancelled after a judge ruled that the police did not have enough manpower to guarantee the safety of the 700,000 people expected. But last-minute attempts to save the event, which will be the last one of the eight concerts, were successful and have avoided embarrassment for the organisers. These major concerts will be supplemented by hundreds of smaller scale events across the planet.
The Dutch contribution
In the Netherlands, the entire 24-hour sequence of concerts will be carried on radio by public network 3FM from 0700 local time on Saturday. On TV, there will be 22 hours of coverage commencing at 0800 on Saturday, and even when the concerts have ended, 3FM will broadcast a six-hour highlights package at 1200-1800.
There will also be Dutch reporters at the various venues, and some of 3FM's top DJs will be linking the marathon programme from the studio in Hilversum. 3FM has been quite proactive in its attention to climate change - a few months ago we reported on its Noordpool FM initiative.
Radio Netherlands Worldwide is doing its bit for the environment too. We take part in the Trees for Travel program. The Trees for Travel Foundation recently told RNW that a total of 768.75 tons of CO2 (carbon dioxide) was generated during business flights by our employees in 2006. Trees for Travel has compensated for this by planting trees to nullify the effect of the CO2 produced by these flights.
Live Earth will be a great global event, but hopefully it won't be just another landmark in broadcasting history. I hope future generations will be able to look back on 07-07-07 as a day that changed the world.
Tags:
07-07-07,
climate change,
concerts,
environment,
Live Earth,
radio,
TV
jasmin,
06-07-2007
- India
Duane Cox, I agree with you afterall , 'Charity begins at home '.
Impressed and inspired by the RNW programmes on global warming, I have brought a few changes into my home:
Less consumption of electricity; no air-conditioner although mercury here goes up to 48 degrees celsius; I have stopped using washing machine and wash clothes by hand and squeeze them lightly so that the water evaporates in the atmosphere and less water is consumed by manual washing; throw the kitchen water and kitchen garbage in the kitchen garden; use car only when necessary....
These steps have not only benefitted the earth in a small way but have also given me good exercise and stamina to bear the heat. You are right, if we all follow our own amendments we will save a lot more energy, water, electricity and benefit our planet than by these concerts which generate more pollution.
Andy Sennitt,
06-07-2007
- The Netherlands
Duane, Much of what you write makes a lot of sense to people who already understand the issues. But you are in what is, sadly, still a very small minority. We need to attract the attention of a much larger number of people. Otherwise, people like you, however sincere you may be, will not be numerous enough to make a difference on the scale that's necessary. But I applaud you for making the points you did. There are indeed a lot of ways to deal with the problem.
Andy Sennitt
Duane Cox,
06-07-2007
- Nutopia
LIVE EARTH ATTACKS CLIMATE
An open letter to Al Gore and The Alliance for Climate Protection
in response to the Live Earth Event's
July 5, 2007
I appreciate your concerns & your efforts, but I think you are a little misguided. The idea is to reduce global warming and greenhouse gases not to use as much energy as we can in one day. You are setting a terrible example. Instead of reducing global energy consumption, you are hosting 8 giant concerts in 8 cities around the world with 150 performers.
Are all of these performers, their bands and support crews walking to the Live Earth venues so as not to use jet fuel and gasoline? Not likely! They will all fly and/or drive in their private jets, tour buses and limousines and put more greenhouse gases into the environment.
Are all of these performers planning on playing acoustic instruments without microphones and lights at Live Earth? No, they will all be plugged in and using as much electricity as they can; putting more poisonous gases into our environment.
All of the people who are being encouraged to attend these Live Earth shows will also have to fly and/or drive putting more greenhouse gases into the environment. Millions of people around the world will be encouraged to watch Live Earth on television and the Internet, using more electricity in a foolish manor, creating more pollution. Spectators will be invited to sign a statement on Live Earth's Internet site or by text message, using more electricity in an unnecessary manor.
If you were truly concerned about our environment, you would encourage millions of people to turn off their Televisions and computers for the day, in a positive effort to reducing the global consumption of electricity. Will you, Al Gore, walk to the Live Earth concert in New York and the surprise venue? Highly unlikely! Or do you plan on flying your private jet and ride in multiple gas-guzzling limousine, polluting as much as you possibly can?
Thanks for your help, pollute on; I hope the Earth can survive your efforts.
I for one will not be watching Live Earth. I also make a pledge to Al Gore and The Alliance for Climate Protection: I will not turn on my Television or computer on July 7th in an effort to reduce the electricity consumption and do my small part to protect the climate and Mother Earth.
CONSIDER THIS VIEW
Al Gore, The Alliance for Climate Protection and the Live Earth supporters could act in a more positive manor and help reduce the Greenhouse Gases in the environment. They could use their Millions and Influence to encourage people around the world to turn off their televisions and computers for just one day. They could ask the worlds population not to drive their cars or fly their planes for just one day. They could encourage the major cities such as New York, Sydney, Tokyo, London, Shanghai, Hamburg, Johannesburg, and Rio de Janeiro to go dark for just one hour. Imagine how much energy could be saved if Los Vegas turned off their lights for just one hour. There are positive things that could be done if we just put in the effort.
Please help save our planet
Duane Cox - Duane@ConsiderThisView.com
ConsiderThisView.com
HooQs,
05-07-2007
- Israel
promoting awareness with a live earth channel
http://www.hooqs.com/live-earth!-/17021,19705
