Global warming is too hot for TV in the U.S., even when the TV is really cold. Frozen Planet, the BBC miniseries about the Arctic and Antarctic, has an episode about climate change impacts — but that episode's not being aired in the United States.
The BBC made seven episodes of Frozen Planet. Six feature breathtaking panoramas of polar vistas and wildlife, and the seventh also deals extensively with how global warming will threaten those animals and habitats. But Discovery, which bought the rights to air the series in the U.S., only scheduled time for six episodes. U.S. viewers get to see the polar bears frolicking and whatnot, but don't get to hear about how they might all die. Guess Discovery doesn't think you can handle it.
According to the BBC this is perfectly reasonable, because the series is narrated by Sir David Attenborough and not everyone knows who he is:
A spokeswoman for the BBC said it was not be feasible to force networks to buy the climate change episode as it features Sir David talking extensively to the camera and there are many countries where he is not famous.
Man, I'm not sure which is worse — not believing in global warming or not immediately recognizing David Attenborough.
