This link points you to a description of a new "reality" TV show slated to descend on St. Augustine, Florida, and 13 other American cities and towns this year. The gist? Let's dig up private and public property to unsystematically hunt for "treasure" that can "tell a story of the past." Cause that's exactly what archaeology is all about, right?! Apparently, their host "has been digging up artifacts for 20 years, so he's not some random digger." What, with a metal detector? This cavalier attitude couched as socially responsible television is even more disturbing to me. Further telling to me is the statement by St. Augustine city archaeologist Carl Halbirt that the property owners he's spoken with (independent of those eventually selected for the show) are "interested in the archaeology and preserving the past and that's what we're trying to do with a systematic approach."Most likely, some of these very same property owners have been part of direct negotiations related to past and ongoing cultural heritage management projects and salvage excavations...actual, systematic archaeology in other words. Apparently, the show's producer has had her hands in several other "reality TV" winners, such as "Super Nanny" and "Reality Hell." Does this bode well for the prospects of this show treating archaeology and history with any kind of respect? I doubt it... I hope that the networks will take a good, long look at the merits of this show before agreeing to host it, including independent evaluations of premise and practice by the archaeological community. Only time will tell... The St. Augustine Record has kindly provided the email address and phone number of the casting producer.
