Questions for discussion

Siphoning sport

UV warning

Koala-safe roads

EPISODE 32

9TH NOVEMBER 2010

Remembrance Day

Mangoes

Focus Questions

UV warning

EPISODE 32

9TH NOVEMBER 2010

Learning Area

Health and

Physical

Education, Science

Key learning

Students will

develop knowledge

and understandings

about the UV

index, factors

affecting UV

levels and

SunSmart

behaviours.

Related Research Links

Focus Questions

Remembrance Day

EPISODE 32

9TH NOVEMBER 2010

Learning Area

Society and

Environment

Key learning

Students will

develop a deeper

understanding of

the significance

of Remembrance

Day.

Reflection

Related Research Links

BtN: Episode 32 Transcript

09/11/10

On this week's Behind the News:

The fight over which channel you'll have to turn to, to watch

your favourite sports.

Thinking about safety for animals that have trouble crossing

our roads.

And kids take steps towards remembering those that sacrificed

everything during our past wars.

Hi welcome to another week on BtN. I'm Nathan Bazley.

Also today we'll head north to find out why some of our favourite fruit

is so fussy and even gets a bit grumpy.

UV Warning

Reporter: Natasha Thiele

INTRO: A new report from scientists reckons that people don't apply

enough sunscreen to get the sun protection they need.

Sunscreen's job is to reduce the amount of UV rays getting into our

skin.

Now we all know that too much UV can cause problems.

But what exactly is UV light and what does it do to us?

Tash went to find out.

NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: Introducing UV man!

His name stands for ultraviolet!

He's got killer rays that travel from the sun to the earth's surface and

into your skin.

In real life they're invisible.

But UV can be more deadly than this silly character.

Enough about UV man for now, what is UV?

Well, there's a whole spectrum of energy the sun gives off, some that

we can see and some that we can't.

The stuff we can see is this bit 'visible light'. That's how we can see

colours.

And UV is right next to it!

UV light can be used in lots of things like tanning beds, barcode

scanners, agriculture and even in forensics.

But UV can cause problems for us, like sunburn and skin cancer.

This is what a common type of skin cancer called 'melanoma' looks

like.

Exposure to UV rays can damage skin cells and cause them to grow

abnormally into a cancerous lump.

The cells can then invade the body through the blood stream.

To help warn people about harmful ultraviolet rays, scientists have

found a way to measure how much UV is expected to reach us.

And each day we can check out the weather bureau online or watch

the news on TV to see the warnings.

REPORTER: Well this is what they look like. This UV warning says

it'll be very high to extreme but when it's that high on a summer day

in Australia, you can get burnt in less than 15 minutes.

Even schools are checking UV alerts every morning in their

classroom.

It reminds them that they need to be SunSmart when they're

outdoors.

UV alerts are calculated by looking at things like the time of year and

how many clouds are around.

But even if it's cloudy, UV rays can still be damaging.

BOY 1: My mum always tells me to put sunscreen on and a hat, even if

it's not sunny, so just to make sure that I'm not sunburnt.

GIRL: I know that if I don't wear sunscreen or protect my skin, I

could end up with something like skin cancer and I actually know

someone with skin cancer and I know how serious it is, so I make sure

I protect myself.

BOY 2: Keep in the shade, wear a hat, use a rashie when you're

swimming and put a lot of sunscreen on.

But there's a bright side to UV exposure and it's called Vitamin D.

The sun is the only place you can get it.

It's important for our bodies because it helps the calcium we need for

healthy bones, teeth and muscles.

UV man and his deadly affects will always be there! So it's a good idea

to keep an eye on the UV warnings to protect yourself and others.

The Wire

And the researchers say you should put on sunscreen twice about 20

minutes apart before you go outside.

OK, there were some big music awards handed out over the weekend

so Alfie checked it out.

***********

It was a family affair at the 2010 ARIA awards last night, with a

brother and sister duo, Angus and Julia Stone the big winners.

The Sydney siblings won both the best single and best album of the

year.

Megan Washington won best breakthrough performer, and best

female artist while Dan Sultan won best male.

And Powderfinger, in their last live TV performance, took home two

trophies.

The awards, held at the Sydney Opera House, celebrate the best in

Australian music.

Siphoning Sport

Reporter: Nathan Bazley

INTRO: There is a fight on in sport but this one isn't on the field or

on the sidelines.

It's in the boardrooms of the big TV channels of Australia.

The fight is on between free-to air and pay TV about who deserves

the rights to broadcast different sports.

And just like fights out on the field this one has the potential to get

ugly.

NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: This is the most watched Australian TV event of the last decade. (2005 Australian Open Men's Final: Lleyton Hewitt v Marat Safin)

This is the second. (2003 Rugby World Cup Final: Australia v England)

This is third and fourth (Masterchef 2010 & 2009)

This is fifth (2006 Commonwealth Games: Opening Ceremony)

And this is sixth (2005 AFL Grand Final: Sydney Swans v West Coast Eagles)

What does all this tell you?

Australian's love watching sport (and Masterchef) on TV.

But mostly sport!

NATHAN: However right now, there is a big fight over sport on TV or more importantly, where it is on TV. And it's a fight that could change your viewing habits quite a bit.

You would have noticed that some sports are played on free-to-air TV stations, like Channels 7, 9 & 10; and some are played on pay TV stations, like Foxtel.

These stations bid on the rights to broadcast them, and that can cost up to $150 million per season.

But not any station can bid on any sport.

The government has a list of 12 main sports that free-to-air TV channels are allowed to have first dibs on before pay TV is allowed to buy them.

It's called an 'anti-siphoning list'. Here's what's on it.

First there is the Olympic and Commonwealth games.

Then there is the race that stops the nation - the Melbourne Cup.

There are local motorsports like the V8 supercars.

Aussie cricket played here or in the UK.

And the major local and international golf tournaments.

There's every netball game featuring the Diamonds.

And the major tennis comps from around the world.

The Soccer World Cup makes the grade.

As does the Union World Cup and the Wallabies tests.

And finally, there is the entire season of NRL, and every game of the AFL to round the whole thing out.

The list has been around for a while, but at the end of this year it's all up for grabs and changes might be made.

And that's got people fired up.

Free-to-air stations are worried that sports will be taken off the list, allowing pay TV to buy them and only let subscribers watch.

They say that all Australians should witness the great sporting triumphs, rather than just those that can afford pay TV.

But on the other hand, pay TV is worried more sports will be added to the list, meaning they would struggle to keep some viewers.

They say they're in a much better position to show the sports because they can put more money into broadcasts.

Over in the UK, Premier League Soccer switched to pay TV, and that change is partly credited with helping grow the code into the world's most watched sport league.

Pay TV brought them more camera angles, better graphics, and more live matches.

Whereas in Australia, many free-to-air matches like Friday night AFL, are still shown on delay.

But making things more tricky is the fact that now free-to-air has a whole lot more digital channels to play with.

And instead of breaking into their main channels, they'd love to play sports on their extra digital ones too.

But pay TV says that's unfair, because not everyone has digital yet.

It's a pretty bitter fight and just like a lot of classic sporting matches, this one will have sport fans from either side on the edge of their seats.

Presenter: Now we'd like to know what you guys think about that so

let's make that our poll this week.

Online Poll

The question is: Should big sports be shown on free TV or pay TV?

To vote just head to our website.

And let's look at what you thought in last week's poll.

We asked if you prefer to rent movies from a DVD shop or an online

service.

And we got a pretty one-sided result.

81% voted for the DVD shop and 19% said you prefer going online.

Koala Roads

Reporter: Natasha Thiele

INTRO: We often hear of koalas being accidentally killed or injured

on Australian roads.

They're sometimes forced to cross them because the areas they live in

are being destroyed for human development or they're trying to

escape predators.

Unfortunately koalas and cars don't mix but scientists are looking at

way to help protect the koalas.

Tash had a look at what they're working on.

NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: We live in one busy world!

But for these furry little guys, keeping up with our pace can be

difficult.

Koalas are the one of the most recognisable animals in Australia but

these koalas in south east Queensland are being pushed out of their

own neighbourhoods.

REPORTER: Their habitat is being taken over by new homes, so

they're being forced to try and cross busy roads for food or to

reproduce.

Sadly, every year about 100 of them are killed or injured on the roads

in this area.

But university researchers are trying to create roads that may be safer

for the animals.

DARRYL JONES, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR (GRIFFITH

UNIVERSITY): If you're a slow moving animal like a koala the risk is

huge. We are really determined if we possibly can to let the koalas still

exist in this environment so we have to do something!

To do that, there a few steps they need to take!

Let's start with the first one.

The researchers need to catch some of the local koalas, which can be

tough work.

They're focusing on the koalas that live on the so called `Koala Coast’,

which is just south of Brisbane.

New homes are going up around the area, where the koala's natural

habitat is, and that's what can cause the animals to move away.

But often in doing that, they get killed.

That's where more research comes in.

The researchers then look at which roads are causing the most koala

deaths.

At the moment, roads are making it really hard for koalas to move

from one spot to another.

The idea is to eventually make roads in the area more koala-friendly,

like putting up fencing, underpasses and even a koala bridge!

But the problem is, how does a koala know they're there and even how

to use them?

That's when step three comes in.

To work out if the koalas will be okay using the new koala-friendly

features; scientists need to study what the animals get up to when

they're not crossing roads.

And they plan to track 60 of them.

They'll get a vet check and have a GPS collar put on, like the latest

recruit Jolez!

The tracking device will help researchers keep a watchful eye on what

she does.

Creating safer areas for animals has been done before.

Four years ago, researchers in far north Queensland came up with an

idea to get these rare rainforest ringtail possums to cross the road and

get to the other side.

And it was this, a man-made 'marsupial highway'.

It's like a really big ladder strung between tall trees and the possums

use it at night time.

The idea's caught on and they're now being used in other places.

The Koala researchers reckon this is just the start of a really

important experiment and if it works the ideas can be used all around

Australia.

Housing and development is growing in this area but with more koala

friendly roads a possibility in the future, it could just help protect

some of our furry friends!

Quiz 1

OK, time to test you out with a tricky quiz.

Remembrance Day is coming up and you'll probably hear that tune

called the Last Post.

So here's the question.

The Last Post is usually played on which musical instrument?

Bugle

Trombone

Flute

Answer: Bugle

Presenter: Listen carefully to our next story and you will hear some

of it.

Remembrance Day

Reporter: Kirsty Bennett

INTRO: The First World War ended almost a century ago but a

group of primary school kids are reliving some of the soldier's tales.

A memorial walk was built last year to honour past students who

died in the Vietnam War and in World Wars One and Two.

With Remembrance Day this Thursday, Kirsty took a visit to the

school to chat with the kids about what the day means to them.

KIRSTY BENNETT, REPORTER: After four years of war, on the 11th

of November 1918 the guns fell silent. It was the end of World War

One where more than 60, 000 people died and around 150,000 were

wounded. A year later an Australian journo suggested that this date

should be a day to remember those who sacrificed their lives. It was

first called Armistice Day but now it's known as Remembrance Day.

So every year at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh

month, Australia holds a minute's silence. It's a similar ritual in other

countries, even in places where fighting is going on today.

This special time to remember started almost a century ago, but the

day still means a lot.

VOX POP: You remember all your friends you see who didn't come

back.

KIRSTY: There are many different ways people like to pay their

respect. This is one flower you may see people wearing, it's called a

poppy. It's sometimes called the "flower of remembrance" because it

grew in the battlefields where many soldiers had died.

You might also see people wearing a sprig of rosemary. Since ancient

times people believed the herb made memories stronger so it's worn

as a symbol of remembrance.

This is a sound you might hear at ceremonies. The Last Post is a

military tradition. It's to signal soldiers back to their barracks. Now

it's played more as a farewell to those who died.

At Mitcham Primary School in South Australia, students have their

own way to pay their respects. These plaques represent the soldiers

who once went to Mitcham Primary and died in war.

KIANA, STUDENT: It's very touching I guess that we went to the

same school and we learnt the same things.

KIRSTY: For their school assignments, they had to pick a soldier and

retrace their footsteps. Along the way, Hero found out that the soldier

she was researching may have crossed paths with her family.

KIRSTY, REPORTER: Have you developed any connection with him

now?

HERO, STUDENT: Yeah I really feel like I have and the place that he

died my great grandfather was a grave digger there so he died in

Village Bretonneux.

KIRSTY: The students reckon their new connection with the soldiers

will make this Remembrance Day stand out.

HENRY, STUDENT: It's made me think of things a little bit

differently I mean we take so much for granted nowadays that they

didn't have.

KIANA, STUDENT: Well I guess I'll sit down and think about my

soldier a little bit and the tough time that he went through just for our

country to make it what it is now - that's very important.

KIRSTY: Even after Remembrance Day, the students will always have

this reminder.

STASI, STUDENT: Well yeah when we walk home from school most

kids come down here so it’s really nice and it looks great too.

KIRSTY: So it sounds like this path and its stories won't be forgotten.

Presenter: And there's more info about that and the other stories on

today's show on our website.

OK, let's catch up with what's been happening in sport.

The Score

Surfing king Kelly Slater has taken out his 10th world title confirming

his name as one of the world's best athletes.

Slater put together a string of perfect tens to beat Brazilian Adriano

De Souza in the quarters then Aussies Taj Burrow and Bede Durbidge

in the semis and final.

The win makes Slater both the youngest and oldest man to win a

world title which he dedicated to rival Andy Irons who died last week.

Kelly Slater: “Condolence out to family, I wouldn't be where I am

today.”

Slater now says he wouldn't mind trying to win a pro golf tournament.

*******

To Formula 1 now and Aussie Mark Webber is still in the hunt for his

first drivers world championship after a second place at the Brazilian

Grand Prix.

Teammate and fierce rival Sebastian Vettel took out the race with

championship leader Fernando Alonso rounding out the podium.

The one - two for the Red-bull team saw them secure the constructors

championship, which is a reward that goes to the most successful

team overall.

But the drivers’ race remains wide open coming into the last round at

Abu Dhabi.

Presenter: We'll let you know if Webber manages to take it out.

OK time to get you thinking with a fruity quiz.

Quiz 2

The question is: Which is a native fruit of Australia?

Mango

Quandong

Avocado

Answer: Quandong

Mangoes

Reporter: Kirsty Bennett

INTRO: You sometimes hear of them being turned in quandong pies.

Well our next story is about another fruit; mangoes.

The Aussie mango season has started and according to some

farmers they can be a bit unpredictable.

Mangoes are pretty fussy about weather conditions and where

they're grown.

So Kirsty went on the hunt to find out why mangoes sometimes get

the grumps.

KIRSTY BENNETT, REPORTER: It's mango madness in some parts

of Australia. The first mangoes started rolling onto supermarket

shelves around September. And growers have been busy harvesting

and carting them off for us to enjoy. The trouble is, not all mangoes

are happy mangoes. Some of them can be very fussy about where they

live! To find out what their problem is, let's check out Australia's

climate.

At the bottom, there's the temperate zone and that usually means a

cool wet winter and a hot dry summer. As you move further up the

country, the climate is kind of the opposite. In Australia's sub-tropical

and tropical areas, the winters are warmer and the summers can be

warm and really wet. That's at the northern end of places like

Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia and that's

where you can find mangoes!

Mangoes aren't a native fruit of Australia. It's believed they were

brought over from India back in the 1800s and in some places they

have been very happy.

To get mangoes, you need a mango tree. You could plonk this seed in

the ground anywhere in Australia. It might grow but its survival

depends on where you live and the climate. I'll give mine a try to see

what happens!

Remember, they're very fussy about weather conditions. In the cooler

months, the tree blossoms into bunches of tiny flowers. The flowers

are pollinated at night by native insects like beetles and blowflies.

That's a bit unusual because most other crops rely on honeybees for

that job. One or two mangoes will pop up from each bunch of flowers.

And once they're ripe, they're ready to pick. But sometimes mangoes

get grumpy and they like to give growers a tough time.

In some Queensland orchards this year, mango trees don't have any

fruit on them. The season started off great but then the mangoes had

a change of heart.

ROBERT CIKES, QUEENSLAND MANGO GROWER: If you had of

been here 12 months ago you would've been amazed just how many

mangoes were hanging on these trees but this year's an entirely

different story.

KIRSTY: So why are these mangoes being so hard to keep happy?

Well it's a mystery that growers have been trying to work out for

years. We know mangoes are really fussy about the weather

conditions. On the one hand, they like tropical areas because they

don't like the cold. But on the other hand, if it's not cold enough the

trees won't flower - so no fruit!

MICHAEL McDOUALL, QUEENSLAND MANGO GROWER: This is a

class example of what happens with a poor fruit set and flowering

there's the flower and no mangoes.

MARLINA WHOP, JOURNALIST: So the majority of trees are

looking like that are they?

MICHAEL McDOUALL, QUEENSLAND MANGO GROWER: yeah

three quarters of the trees, some trees are very very poor, some trees

have none, some trees have half a crop.

KIRSTY: So it's still a mystery that growers would love to solve. In the

meantime all they can do is hope that next year’s mangoes will want

to come out and party.

Closer

Well that's all we have for you today.

We'll see you next time!