From:    Dennis Chamberlin                      
To:      All                                    Msg #118, Feb-25-93 11:52AM
Subject: CBS, science, and Noah's Ark

From: drchambe@tekig5.pen.tek.com (Dennis Chamberlin)
Message-ID: <8931@tekig7.pen.tek.com>
Newsgroups: talk.origins


I watched CBS airing of an old presentation of stuff that is claimed
to "prove" the existence of Noah's Ark high on the slopes of
Mt. Ararat.

This material has been around a long time, and is not improving with age.
I have seen versions of this story no less than three times. The first
time was in a movie theater, and it was about an hour long, and was 
entitled "In Search of Noah's Ark". It was probably 20-25 years ago 
and was thrown in as a secondary feature. I am certain some of the 
footage was the same as the stuff shown Saturday. I remember that
some of the mountain shots cited as "evidence" were so blurred as
to be incomprehensible, possibly deliberately so. 

I also saw it on TV maybe 10-12 yrs ago, possibly a rerun of the first.

Saturdays show was apparently updated to give the impression that
the story was supported by the very best of current technology
and science. The satellite stuff was, I think, a recent addition, 
together with the careful omission of the absolutely clear and 
conclusive photos that were claimed to exist---just couldn't be
released because they would disclose crucial surveillance 
technology. Now who could question that?

Excellent computer graphics were used to portray a bizarre theory 
about a spherical layer of water 10 miles deep suddeny venting
to the surface and atmosphere and *at a single stroke* preserving
the entire fossil record and causing a global deluge. CBS just loved
the graphics.

I noted that a few of the interviews were carefully placed in
obvious laboratory settings even though the lab was not relevant
to the text, and was not even named.  They mentioned digital 
image processing of one of the satellite shots but didn't say
what the processing did. Showed a guy changing tapes in a big
tape drive.

    Tape Drive = Big Computer = Truth 


Some of the "scientists" have been replaced with younger creatures.
Credentials were either not mentioned, or in some cases seemed
kind of light. "Professor of Biblical Studies, etc."

I wonder if CBS knows how long this spiel has been around? It is
slightly encouraging to me that it has never picked up any momentum
and I think the updating is not going to help. 

The piece does illustrate certain truths, but the truths are about 
network television, not about anything on Mt. Ararat. 

Above all, the program obviously met CBS standards for good television.
Good television is what competes, and they know very well that "we"
couch potatoes have a bias towards controversy and emotion. Truth,
as well as we can know it, is generally dull and uncertain, save
for the obvious exceptions of wars, plane crashes, and Rodney King
beatings. The *pursuit* of truth is especially dull and inconclusive. 

This program, on the other hand had pretty pictures, controversy, and 
telegenic and articulate characters. That the "science" was, er, ah,
carefully selective is too kind. It was falsely presented. But it
complied with the same formula for success that NBC used in staging
the crash of the GM pickup.