Could Randy Newberg Change Outdoor TV?
Could one man change the direction of outdoor TV as we know it? Could a single person have the gumption, the knowledge and let’s face it, the money, to be in it for the long haul and inspire others to follow suit?
It could be Randy Newberg. A TV host who started with his show, “On Your Own Adventures,” and now has “Fresh Tracks with Randy Newberg” both on Sportsman Channel. He’s been in the hunting/conservation spotlight for nearing two decades and has a HUGE following on his forum, www.HuntTalk.Com.
The show concept is simple – show only self-guided hunts on accessible lands. According to Newberg, 90 plus percent of hunters are do-it-yourselfers, so why not have a show dedicated to them and their style of hunting? If you see it on his show, it’s a hunt you could do yourself
And isn’t the viewing audience “over” the canned hunts? The high fences? The $15,000 guides? The chest thumping bravado? Many think so. Just this season, the network had three other shows sprout up with a similar theme – all very Randy-like in their existence: Uncommon Ground, Western Hunter, and Pure Hunting. Newberg says he knows many of the people involved with these shows and he supports those bringing forth more of this type of content. They respect what he’s done and emphasize that they aren’t competing with him – rather adding more to the message he started.
Randy isn’t afraid of being in the spotlight. Last year I had the privilege to dive in deep on a special episode Randy produced that was the first televised wolf hunt in the lower 48. I learned more about the pros and cons of wolf hunting, and that Newberg is the reasonable, intelligent voice of wolf hunters.
He’s also that voice for public land hunting access. Another topic I knew existed as an issue, but I didn’t realize the extent.
When I spoke to him this week, I asked him pointblank: “Are you trying to change outdoor TV?”
He paused.
And replied, that yes, he was, or is. Or at least he was trying to provide a different image of hunting that is more relevant to most Americans, hunters or non-hunters. That goal was how he started out in outdoor TV, he told me. But he has since learned that its more difficult than originally planned – mostly because of the way TV content gets sponsored. If the sponsors aren’t on board, guess what, you don’t have a TV show. And, many sponsors use ad agencies, where often times agencies are not deeply engaged in hunting as it occurs for most of us, thus they struggle to understand the nuances of different hunting styles and why some hunting styles may look similar to the outsider, but are miles apart in the eyes of serious hunters, thus creating very strong viewer connections.
So if the viewers are clamoring for DIY, average Joe, non-$15,000 hunts; if self-guided hunting is what 90 plus percent of Americans do; if public land has some of the greatest hunting opportunity – then why isn’t more Newberg-type content getting sponsored? Is it that much of the outdoor TV industry itself, from the hosts, to the sponsors, to the ad agencies, is rather disconnected from the way the average American hunts and the challenges rank and file hunters face?
Randy also told me he wants to push other outdoor TV hosts. He purposely shows him volunteering in the beginning of his shows not to be like “aren’t I the greatest because I volunteer” but to push those with powerful platforms to take a look at their volunteerism and see what they, and their platforms, can contribute to improving hunting and conservation? To encourage others to speak up when it is important to the average hunter in American, even when it comes with some risk. As he asked rhetorically, “Are we in the outdoor TV industry giving back to hunting and to our viewers in a manner commensurate with the benefits we are receiving?”
I think there is a subtle shift in the outdoor TV community. I’m not sure if it’s led by Randy Newberg, but he’s definitely in the front of the pack.
I love what Randy is doing with his show, and other programs like The Western Hunter as well. There are a fair number of folks I know who are a little tired of the repetitive trophy whitetail hunts on hyper-managed properties. Of course, a bunch of guys watch this stuff just like porn… it’s not about the story, it’s about the money shot. I expect the challenge for the hook-n-bullet channels is to find that balance and maintain it.
There’s finally some really good hunting shows out there. The Western Hunter is the best hunting show hands down. DIY hunting with class. I think that show will be the gold standard in years to come.
I love Randy’s shows. But a big portion of that 90% isn’t in half the shape Randy and his cameraman are in, lol. He is definetly out there on the edge of an athlete. And he sets a great example that if you’re going to be out there you owe it yourself and your hunting partners to be in shape.. be safe. You’re right, Randy is making an impression on a lot of people with his show and approach to hunting. I started a show that just aired on the Sportsman Channel to this past quarter. While I appreciate Randy’s show it wasn’t the reason I went after the same DIY. I (just like the 90% he mentions) can’t relate to the High fence, $15,000 dollar hunt… and don’t get me started on Africa or New Zealand Res Stag hunts, what the hell? Your point about the industry. I get it and your right on all points. But I get it from their stand point of a show that delivers eyeballs or presents the product… its an tough power vacuum. After one successful season I still don’t know if I’ll make it back with sponsors… Its tough. But anything worth doing is worth doing well. And as I tell my kids do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. Right now producing a hunting TV show I’m living the dream…. praying I don’t wake up before its winter and hunting season is over, ha ha ha.
Michael Slee
American Outdoor Adventure
http://www.AOAHunting.com
I truly love watching Randy on his hunts… it is so refreshing to see a show that resembles what most of us go through. To hunt a like our forefathers did and just have a great time in doing it..Thank you Randy..please keep doing what you have been doing.
I agree!
that’s exactly what I struggle with – I KNOW there are guys who must see the kill shot time and time again. But I’ve never truly met them. Everyone I speak with talks about the value of the hunt itself. So are these people acting one way in public but a different way in their home with the TV on? It would be interesting to interview someone who feels that way – who thinks all hunting shows should culminate with a kill shot, or have at least 2-3 kill shots per episode.
How isn’t Steven Rinella being mentioned in all of this? He’s another strong voice for DIY, conservation, eat what you kill, and non canned hunts.
That’s a good point. I know both men well, but yet I put Rinella on a different level. Randy is the true frontiersman – he paved the way. He’s a generation older and wiser. Gov’t officials are upset with him b/c he’s in their face and fighting for public land access rights. Outfitters are upset with him b/c he promotes the DIY lifestyle. He’s not out to make friends, but to secure this lifestyle choice for DIY hunters for years to come.
Rinella I put into more of a category of ‘foodie’ as well. He’s a superb chef and outdoorsman. He also does DIY hunts, yet, on a different level than Randy. My POV is that he’s not setting out to change the world. Does he want to educate and entertain like most producers? Sure. But I don’t see him at state legislation meetings. I could be wrong. Believe or not, Rinella is quite reserved and so you don’t get to ‘pick his brain’ as much as Randy is happy to be an honest, open book.
Michelle, I think you nailed it with the guys “acting one way in public but a different way at home…”
But they’re out there, and you can see it a lot in social media these days. Take Brian Quaca and his Facebook fans, unapologetically raving about the pink mist on his prairie dog episode… not to mention the pure blood lust when they talk about killing hogs. I’m not knocking Quaca or his show, by the way, as I still enjoy it a lot… but if he tamed it down to, say, the Rinella level, I’d say it’s safe odds he’d lose a big chunk of his fan base.
Put a lot of these guys in a one-on-one situation, though (especially if you remove their anonymity) and it suddenly becomes all about the “experience of the hunt,” and “being part of nature,” and even “managing wildlife populations.” It’s like talking points from a carefully orchestrated PR campaign. When the kill is mentioned, it’s called a “harvest”, or it’s treated with an unrealistic sense of cautions respect.
I know the outdoor TV niche is still relatively small in the bigger industry, so maybe this isn’t realistic… but are you guys able to do focus groups and large-scale viewer surveys?
Phillip – I agree that Pig Man would lose much of his base if he toned anything down in his performance or personality. I know him personally and yeah, that’s pretty much how he is. He’s built a brand around that personality and to change it now would be like Tiger Woods when he changed his golf swing years ago. Not a smart move.
But in regards to your focus group question – the network actually did this back in years 5 or 6. It was more on branding the channel, but much of the same themes came up then that are still out there now. Even NSSF recently did a focus group study on the hunting climate or culture and again, same themes pop up. We rehash the same old stuff – everyone knows the same complaints – and yet nothing really changes.
Nowadays the “focus group” is that little box provided by Nielson.