BASE on Aussie TV

[Travman 6]

I saw a trailer this morning for a 60 minutes bit on BASE Jumping this weekend. Its on at 7.30 on Sunday, on Channel 9.
Looks like typical 60 minutes reporting, making out like BASE jumpers are just cowboys "And now they want to make it legal!"

[TomAiello 25]

If anyone could record this I'd love to see it. I've heard some (bad) rumors about the content.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[Tyrion 0]

I'll set my recorder.

Thanks for the heads up.

[Brodes 0]

It's full of shit, on the trailer they show Norway big wall footage while saying "It's Illegal". Suprise suprise, Channel 9 is always the bloody same, at least the ABC had the balls to show something supportive on Australian Story a while back.

[TomAiello 25]

It's my understanding that many of the Aussie jumpers wanted nothing to do with the project after they got a feel for the content. But I'm still curious to see how it turned out.

I'm also curious to see which jumpers they got to help them.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[cesslon 0]

in 2001 15 recreational rock fisherman died, not many people rock fish, most see it as dangerous so stay away, how ever if someone dies the media usually see's it as the persons choice to rock fish and leaves it at that.

BASE how ever is different.

they'll try and bag out (more dramatise) BASE when I can't remember there ever being more then 1 death in a year in oz, I could be wrong.

I know on the "Australian story" episode (about mainly the Singleman's) they said at the end of it that later this year BASE legality would be up for review in the national parks, maybe thats the main content is kinda about???? any1??.

If I remember the the "Australian Story" episode correctly Someone was talking about regulation in BASE.
then 1 experienced aussie jumper said "when I started BASE I was told there was one rule.... Don't Bounce!!" lol.
is that a global rule thats told ?

[CornishChris 5]

Quote

I can't remember there ever being more then 1 death in a year in oz, I could be wrong.

Unfortunately you are wrong. Last year there were 2 high profile deaths of Aussie jumpers, plus two high profile accidents involving major hospital time.

I bet more people rock fish than BASE and rock fishing isn't generally considered by the populous, however incorrectly, as illegal.

CJP

Gods don't kill people. People with Gods kill people

[JesseP 0]

No Chris you are wrong. There was one death in Australia last year.

[cesslon 0]

Hi Chris,


Yeah more people rock fish thats for sure, but more people die from it to, media likes to sensationalise on minority groups cos the smaller the group the easier it is to portray them as cow boys.

and like the other person said only 1 death in OZ last year.

When BASE starts putting a massive strain on the health system like alcohole does then I say come down hard on it.

if its been all on the add's then 60 minutes seems to think it will sell some commercial time.

If any1 wants, the 60 minutes show usually has a web based chat after it airs,
http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/sixtyminutes/
if the chat for this episode is about base it will start just after 8:30pm sydney time on sunday
remember Australia is 1 day a head of the USA etc
to read a preview of it check this link

http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/sixtyminutes/stories/2005_05_22/story_1386.asp

CHannel 10 how ever sometimes shows some very brief BASE in a good light on sports tonight, around the time of the Malaysian comps each year.

[CornishChris 5]

Lets not get pedantic. 2 members of the ABA. 1 in Oz - not like the other one didn't get MAJOR TV & media coverage is it...?

Hows Oz Jesse?

By the way Cesslon I don't agree with the media portrayal of BASE in general in Oz.

CJP

Gods don't kill people. People with Gods kill people

[NickDG 23]

CBS has wronged BASE jumping on several occasions. Anyone who gets involved with them isn't paying attention to history. These guys play newbies like a fiddle.

On one occasion a CBS producer called me and asked if I wanted to be "on camera" for a piece they were doing on BASE jumping. I asked the two questions all jumpers should ask in these situations. What's the angle of the piece and how much are you paying?

He evaded the first question and said of the latter, "we don’t pay for news stories." I told him he wasn't doing a news story, he was doing a feature story, a piece CBS would ultimately profit from, and just being "on camera" didn't do it for me. So, no thanks.

Eventually they found a jumper who fell for the "star" treatment and it turned out they damn near burned a long time local site and editied the piece in order to make the BASE jumper look like a total idiot.

What they did was also interview a Yosemite Park Ranger and then they spliced the comments of the BASE jumper and Ranger together. The angle of the piece turned out to be why should the tax payers fund the rescues of people who are basically too stupid to live. It was horrible and when the said BASE jumper saw the final broadcast he was almost in tears. This well meaning, but naïve, BASE jumper got so much flack over it he left the sport in disgrace.

In those days the rule was simple. Just hang up when they call because no matter what they say, you and the sport, will come out looking bad in the end. These days it's not so simple. In the last five years, or so, there have been some very positive pieces done on BASE jumping. And I know the positive stuff is good for us in terms of access and other issues.

So now the trick is knowing "when" to say yes or no. For awhile during the early nineties what we'd do is always refer these calls to someone like Tom Sanders. That would accomplish two things. Tommy knew how to play the Hollywood game and he'd make them pay through the nose. Tommy would then bring you in on the project and would be your protector from the sharks. I still get a residual check every now and again from doing this with him.

The problem is the sharks will just keep contacting BASE jumpers until they find a helpless fish, set the hook, and the next thing you know you're flapping around in the bottom of the boat gasping for air. And at this late date saying you didn’t know doesn't cut it anymore . . .

The above lessons probably need to be part of every BASE first jump course, but in the end we'll never totally solve the problem as vanity often trumps good sense. If you are fairly new to the sport and you get the "call" it probably means other more experienced BASE jumpers already turned them down. That's your first clue to swim away as fast as you can . . .

NickD BASE 194

[cesslon 0]

every non main stream slightly xtreme sport cops it in 1 way or another.
every on main stream slightly xtreme sport seems to think they are hard done by with the media.

like how the guy on here said they showed footage of norway and said "its ilegal" lol
when some1 here gets taken by a great white shark, they talk about how a man eating great white has taken some1 and show some old file footage of a harmless endangerd grey nurse shark lol.

I guess 1 thing ya don't have to worry about in OZ is the country is to big to have park rangers waiting at the bottom of every cliff.

also if rangers started wearing disguises like I read they do in the USA, I can only imagine the general public here will scream murder, that there taxes are going to fund such a waste of time lol.

BASE is pretty extreme for the camera/tv
there isnt really any need to dramatise it.

[TomAiello 25]

Quote

The problem is the sharks will just keep contacting BASE jumpers until they find a helpless fish...

In this case the word was out. Everyone knew, in advance, that jumpers had bailed from the project because they feared it might turn into a hack job.

So "I didn't realize" is not an excuse for this one. If it turns out to be an anti-BASE piece, the jumpers who were involved had full knowledge going in.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[NickDG 23]

>>In this case the word was out. Everyone knew, in advance, that jumpers had bailed from the project because they feared it might turn into a hack job.<<

In that same vein, a popular national "adventure type" magazine here in the U.S. contacted me earlier this week. I haven't heard back since I asked what they were doing. Please use caution if "you" hear from them . . .

NickD BASE 194

[NickDG 23]

Here's the blurb from Aussie 60 Minutes . . .

http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/sixtyminutes/stories/2005_05_22/story_1386.asp

NO FEAR
May 22, 2005
Reporter: Peter Overton
Producer: Lincoln Howes, Julia Timms

It's the ultimate thrill, an extreme sport with a capital E: base jumping — daredevils leaping off tall buildings and cliffs for a few seconds of raw excitement and pure adrenaline. It's highly dangerous — and illegal. Only this week, a jumper plunged to his death off the Eiffel Tower and last month a Sydney man was critically injured in a jump from the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Now Australian base jumpers want to change their image. To them, this is an elite sport and they're world class athletes. They want to make base jumping legal.

Peter ##### base jumping
(See attached photo)

NickD BASE 194

[KevinMcGuire 0]

Those damn dare devils. There everywhere these days. Some one should pass a law. Oh wait.....

[cesslon 0]

man the add on tv is so bad,

"they want to make it legal!!" he says it in the most serious voice
in all seriousness they have had pedophiles on this show before and never talked as badly about them as far as tone of voice is concerned
also on the add they showed 1 of the jumps from stoopid base
the jumper laying on the ground in pain after he did a front flip off the cliff on his push bike and pulled rather low lol.

worst part about it is he stops moaning for a second and aims the camera at his face and says "ewww that wasn't a good ideA"
so they show that part on the add lol
will be on in 2 hours
ill give ya's me oppinion on how it goes
I think I can give a pretty good general public oppinion (oppinion on what the general public would think).

[Jasmin 0]

Quote

In this case the word was out. Everyone knew, in advance, that jumpers had bailed from the project because they feared it might turn into a hack job. So "I didn't realize" is not an excuse for this one. If it turns out to be an anti-BASE piece, the jumpers who were involved had full knowledge going in.

Umm bullsh*t. You may wish to check your facts there Tom.

Furthermore, they have no permission to use Stoopid BASE and have been repeatedly told so.
(Note this is being written before it goes to air.)

xj

"I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

[cesslon 0]

Quote

Furthermore, they have no permission to use Stoopid BASE and have been repeatedly told so.
(Note this is being written before it goes to air.)

so how did they get the st00pid base footage ?
and since they have used it what happens then ?
were the jumpers paid by 60 minutes for the show ?
if they wernt and they used footage without permission I'd be hitting them up for cash
60 minutes usually pays $60k per segment, but if your story is super exclusive they'll pay $200k
$20k for a few seconds of video aint to much to ask

[cesslon 0]

Not bad Not bad

Just finished watching it
it wasnt as bad as the tv ad made out.

gave Jimmy and Pete plenty of oppertunity to say why they do it etc.

showed about 5 seconds of carnage, but contained more positive then bad.
the journo even did a tandam with Pete,
1 mistake though was Jimmy (or the journo) said jimmy like tos spend his weekends jumping this cliff, they said where its located and well its the most well known area in the country lol, so next time jimmy goes there at 6am on a satday morning, he might find he has to push pass the spectators.

only thing I would have liked to have heard would be some1 say "base jumpers should do several hundred skydives first"
as right about now there will be about 500,000 kids out there thinking " man I gotta get that gear and go to those cliffs"
which lets hope won't happen and most likely won't happen as ya can't buy a base rig at ya local corner shop here.

but all up I'd class it as positive more then negative.
they did try and make em look a little crazy but at the same time they let them explain why they do it.

[Jasmin 0]

Not impressed...

xj

"I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

[cesslon 0]

what by jasmin ?

did you think it showed it in a bad light ?

or did they use your footage ?

[cesslon 0]

oh yeah I taped it to,
maybe some1 wants to swap somthing for a copy

[Travman 6]

It wasn't as bad as I was expecting, I have a copy on my computer, I will upload it to skydivingmovies in the next couple of days, I will post a link when it is up.

[leroydb 0]

looking forward to seeing this bit

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...