New Media Week Two: National Geographic and Discovery

The second week of the new media program was just as jam-packed as the first, if not more so. Without doubt, my favorite part of week two was visiting National Geographic and Discovery.  For two organizations that theoretically engage in similar work, my experiences were very different at each. National Geographic provided a comprehensive overview of the company, what they offer, and their involvement with media (mostly apps and social media). Our visit at Discovery included a shorter review of the company, with a greater focus on Discovery’s TV programs and HR policies.

~National Geographic~

At National Geographic, we were met by W&M alum Steve Vick, who is the VP for Financial Planning and Operations at the company.  He explained the company’s mission, and stressed the importance of the National Geographic brand.  It is crucial that the public immediately associate the visual of the yellow rectangle with the ideas of exploration, geography, photography, and storytelling.  He then passed on the presentation to Greg Marshall, who invented Nat Geo’s famed Crittercam. The Crittercam is a camera that scientists attach to animals in the wild, allowing us to see the world from an animal’s point of view.  Mr. Marshall explained that he initially got the idea when, while diving, he saw remora fish perched on a shark’s back. He thus conceived of “electronic remoras” that would allow humans to see the world from the shark’s perspective.

All Crittercams are pilot tested on animals in controlled environments, and almost all the animals don’t mind the cameras attached to them (if animals are affected by the presence of the Crittercam, researchers do not proceed).  The story of the Crittercam was amazing; we found out that the underwater shots in “March of the Penguins” were acquired with a Crittercam. Even more inspiring, research attained through Crittercam footage has been used to change policy in order to further facilitate the protection of animals and their environments.

After we spoke with Greg Marshall, we heard from several other media experts and took a short tour of the Nat Geo offices.  My favorite thing about this part of our visit was watching the Cheetah Run video. National Geographic had filmed a cheetah running, and then used the footage to analyze the movements that facilitate a cheetah’s uniquely rapid pace.  At the end of the day, I left National Geographic feeling awed, inspired, and motivated.

~Tiffany glass on National Geographic ceiling~

A few days after National Geographic, we visited Discovery. Though the organizations overlap in their commitment to storytelling and education, there were some major differences in philosophy between the two. National Geographic stresses its non-profit status, while Discovery makes no secret of the fact that it is a for-profit company.  Our speakers at Discovery addressed this fact, explaining that their television programs and online content must be geared toward consumers who play an important role in keeping the company profitable.

W&M alum Bill Williams, Director of Learning and Development at Discovery, welcomed us and gave us a brief history of the company. We then spoke with two developers of Discovery’s online content who showed us several online promotions they had developed.  The one I found most interesting was a commercial for "Skywire", a program that will follow one man as he tightrope walks across the Grand Canyon on live TV. Our final speakers were members of Discovery’s Human Resources department, who gave us career advice and strategies for landing our next job, internship, or interview.  One thing they said that stuck with me was that an internship is like a ten-week interview. I’ll definitely keep that in mind as I start my internship this week.