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| Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Adventures: America's Underwater Treasures: Press Release |
JEAN-MICHEL COUSTEAU AND THE NEXT GENERATION OF THE COUSTEAU FAMILY EXPLORE THE SPLENDORS OF THE DEEP IN "AMERICA'S UNDERWATER TREASURES" AIRING ON PBS, SEPTEMBER 20 AND 27
San Francisco, CA, July 12, 2006 -- Yosemite. Yellowstone. The Smoky Mountains. The Everglades. The Grand Canyon. Everyone knows these magical places that are the gems of America's national parks. But how many are familiar with the Flower Garden Banks, Fagatelle Bay, Gray's Reef, Thunder Bay or the Gulf of the Farallones? Little-known and seldom-visited by travelers, these are just a few of the 13 national marine sanctuaries in the United States. Jean-Michel Cousteau: Ocean Adventures returns this September with the series finale: a two-part special investigation of these exquisitely beautiful locales in America's Underwater Treasures, airing on two consecutive Wednesdays, September 20 at 8pm and September 27 at 8pm (both 60 minutes) on PBS.
Jean-Michel Cousteau, his son Fabien, his daughter Celine and his team of expert divers set out for the first time to investigate all 13 of these distinct ecosystems. While discovering what makes each of them unique, the team also explores what threatens these sites and what is being done. Traversing thousands of miles, the Ocean Adventures team goes below and above the sea off the coasts of Michigan, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Massachusetts, California, Oregon, Hawaii and American Samoa in a quest to introduce Americans to these vibrant but fragile marine sanctuaries.
Cousteau and field experts explore the histories, biologies and environments of this vast marine park system, from diverse aquatic life to the cautious relationship between the sanctuaries and industry. The team corrects long-held myths that sanctuaries are either places that cannot be visited or that ban all fishing. While long car lines and growing visitor restrictions are commonplace at our better known national parks, our national marine sanctuaries are the stage for fabulous sights and sounds that few explore but that still belong to all.
Chased by hurricanes, attacked by swarms of insects and chilled by plunges into frigid waters, the Ocean Adventures team finds nature and history at its most spectacular. They are witness to breathtaking sights: sea turtles laying their eggs on the shore in the middle of the Georgia night; coral spawning like fireworks among the reefs; kelp forests as thick and tall as the California redwoods; the rusting wreck of the Civil War ironclad "USS Monitor," lying more than 200 feet below the Carolina coast; the recovery of lost fishing nets off the Olympic Coast; and even a flourishing natural city under the sea, coexisting with a man-made oil rig.
In a curious and positive twist of fate, the final place noted in America's Underwater Treasures is the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, now designated as a national monument, and the location of the series' first, two-part film, Voyage to Kure.
In part at risk and in part still pristine, the national marine sanctuaries are their own proof that they must be guarded for future generations. Cousteau invites us to learn the intricate world of America's Underwater Treasures together on PBS this fall.
Jean-Michel Cousteau: Ocean Adventures is produced by KQED and Ocean Futures Society. The exclusive corporate sponsor is The Dow Chemical Company.
About KQED
KQED Public Broadcasting operates KQED Public Television 9, one of the nation's most-watched public television stations during prime-time, and KQED's digital television channels, which include KQED HD, KQED Encore, KQED World, KQED Life and KQED Kids; KQED Public Radio, the most-listened-to public radio station in the nation with an award-winning news and public affairs program service (88.5 FM in San Francisco and 89.3 FM in Sacramento); KQED.org, one of the most visited station sites in Public Broadcasting; and KQED Education Network, which brings the impact of KQED to thousands of teachers, students, parents and media professionals through workshops, seminars and resources.
About Ocean Futures Society
Ocean Futures Society is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. With the motto, "Protect the ocean and you protect yourself," the mission of Ocean Futures Society is to explore our global ocean, inspiring and educating people throughout the world to act responsibly for its protection, documenting the critical connection between humanity and nature, and celebrating the ocean's vital importance to the survival of all life on our planet. OFS is based in Santa Barbara, CA, USA with offices in Paris and Lucca, Italy. For more information, visit www.oceanfutures.org.
About PBS
PBS is a private, nonprofit media enterprise that serves the nation's 348 public noncommercial television stations, reaching nearly 90 million people each week. Bringing diverse viewpoints to television and the Internet, PBS provides high-quality documentary and dramatic entertainment, and consistently dominates the most prestigious award competitions. PBS is the leading provider of educational materials for K-12 teachers, and offers a broad array of educational services for adult learners. Video resources for educators are available at www.shoppbs.com/teachers. PBS' premier kids' TV programming and Web site, PBS KIDS Online (pbskids.org), continue to be parents' and teachers' most trusted learning environments for children. More information about PBS is available at pbs.org, the leading dot-org Web site on the Internet. PBS is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia.
About Dow
Dow is a diversified chemical company that harnesses the power of science and technology to improve living daily. The Company offers a broad range of innovative products and services to customers in more than 175 countries, helping them to provide everything from fresh water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. Built on a commitment to its principles of sustainability, Dow has annual sales of $46 billion and employs 42,000 people worldwide. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.
KQED media contact and press inquires: Yoon Lee (415) 553-3338, ylee@kqed.org
OFS contact: Paul Zemitzsch, (314) 725-5645, paul@sequel-llc.com
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