Disclosure: APRN and KAKM are divisions of Alaska Public Telecommunications, Inc.
Each year the Iditarod Trail Committee puts together a promotional documentary of the race and releases it for sale through their web site and other retail outlets. The 2007 video is apparently ready to roll and will be premiered on public television in Anchorage on June 2 (live) and June 6 (repeat). None other than 2007 champion Lance Mackey will be on hand for the live broadcast, offering his own race insights and thoughts along the way.
In the past, these videos have largely focused on the “horse race” for first place, and 2007 was certainly an interesting year as the lead traded hands several times. The videos have also become more technical and bigger in style as the ITC has increased its production budgets in recent years.
At this point, it’s unclear (no pun intended) whether the broadcast will be in HD, as it was apparently shot in the field, or if it will be DVD quality.
Here’s the details:
- KAKM Channel 7 (free over the air, via paid cable, via paid satellite)
- Saturday June 2 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; live with Lance Mackey
- Wednesday June 6 starting at 8:30 p.m; pre-recorded
KAKM is broadcasting the video as part of its June pledge drive. KAKM also broadcast the 2006 video as part of a couple pledge drives last year.
UPDATE: The 2006 Iditarod race video, “Mother Nature’s Turn to Dance,” won an Emmy at the Northwest Regional Emmy Awards on June 2, 2007. Details are available at the ITC site.
I wanted to throw up when I read that KAKM is broadcasting yet another advertisement produced by the Iditarod. It’s more garbage produced by greedy people. Businesses and the media should be supporting kindness toward animals NOT the Iditarod and its animal abusing mushers. Read: http://www.adn.com/opinion/compass/story/8931684p-8831926c.html
I wouldn’t give KAKM a penny of my hard-earned money.
G.D. — KAKM does not seek your donation because you don’t live in Alaska and cannot see any of its programming. I recommend you consider supporting your local public broadcasting services instead.
I also recommend you avoid making comments like “…the Iditarod and its animal abusing mushers.” That’s a very broad brush to be painting with and such all-encompassing accusations are indefensible. Mushers, like dogs, come in all shapes and sizes and exhibit different behaviors. Lumping them together in some kind of abuse-loving group is unfair to say the least. Are there some “bad” mushers out there? Sure. Are there some bad dogs, too? You bet. Are all dogs bad? No. Same with mushers.
It’s too bad your aggressive rhetoric drowns out your main points — that animal abuse should not be tolerated, tighter controls are needed on animal-based sports and so on. Those are good points and deserve a full hearing. But when cloaked in vitriolic and unsubstantiated attacks, such points are easily ignored.
For example, if you walk up to me on the street and say, “Hey, I disagree with you but I’d like to talk about it,” I’ll probably stop and chat. But if you walk up and say, “You dirty, low-down murdering moron, listen to my divine wisdom or I’ll kill ya!” there’s no way I’ll talk to you.
Try a little honey with your vinegar. And thanks for the link — that Compass piece was a good addition to the debate.