BtN: Episode 21 Transcripts 10/08/10
On this week's Behind the News:

Plane Talking: Why passengers might be able to start using mobiles when
flying.
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Displaying pets in shop windows, is it a good idea?
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And do you really know what's in your juice?
Hi I'm Nathan Bazley, welcome to Behind the News.
Also on the show today, we look at the super-sized support for school sports in
America.
But first, to the continuing devastation after serious floods in Pakistan more than a
week ago.
Here's Sarah with the wire.
The Wire
Deadly floods hit Eastern Pakistan, killing thousands and leaving millions homeless.
Many homes have been washed away and livestock killed.
The army has been taking boats into flooded villages to rescue stranded families.
But the flood water is still rising and rain is making it difficult to reach survivors.
Many of the people who have been evacuated don't have enough food or clean water.
And there are worries that the dirty water will spread diseases.
There have also been floods and mudslides in North-West China.
At least one village was buried completely by the mud which has swept away homes
and destroyed roads.
More than one hundred people are dead and thousands more are missing.
And in Australia the federal government has suggested banning kids from weekend
sport if they skip school.
They reckon the No School No Play policy will help to beat truancy, especially in
remote communities.
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Kids who want to play sport on the weekend will have to sign a pledge where they
promise to go to class.
Political Ads
Reporter: Nathan Bazley
INTRO: Well you can't have escaped the fact that the election campaign is still in
full swing.
We're bombarded every day with all kinds of ads for political leaders and their
parties.
And rest assured they'll pull out every trick in the book when it comes to trying to
influence how we think.
NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: Politicians will try to get to voters anywhere
whether they're sailing the seven seas, taking an early morning ride or looking for a
pool.
But even if you manage to dodge the pamphlet people and close your eyes as you
drive past the posters, you could still catch politicians doing their thing right when
you least suspect it.
Political advertising is a big part of an election campaign.
It's estimated around $10million bucks is coughed up by the big parties each week to
try to get their message across on TV, radio, newspapers and the internet.
Political parties provide most of the cash. They get donations from businesses or
people who agree with their ideas.
Then some extra money comes from the government. Candidates can be eligible for
around 2 bucks 30 for each vote they get.
Politicians love advertising because they can control exactly what they say and how
they say it.
Unlike press conferences which can go just about anywhere.
So what goes into a political ad?
Well here at ad school you can find out.
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Lesson one, the classic politician talking to camera.
These type of ads generally tell viewers exactly who the candidate is and what they
will do for you.
They usually don't mention the other side but focus on sharing their party's main
promises.
Lesson two, is all about the Jingle.
Jingles are a catchy way to get your message across especially if the song gets stuck in
your head!
This ad is for the National party who work with the Liberal party federally.
They try to appeal to country people so they show lots of scenes they would relate to
while saying that they will act for country people who don't feel they are being
listened to.
We're going to get a bit nasty now.
Lesson three, what goes into an attack ad.
Attack ads are a time honoured way of tearing down your opposition.
These ads feature scary music, a serious voice and can attack the target's past actions.
Or what they might do in the future.
Our final lesson today is the most important of all.
Lesson four, the legal stuff.
The first one is this.
It makes it clear to everyone who made the ad and which party they're representing.
The fast voice is so they don't waste much of their ad doing it!
There are also rules that you can't trick people into voting incorrectly and you can't
say nasty things about people that can be proven false.
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And finally, in the last three days of an election there can be no advertising on TV or
radio at all.
So that's it for our political ad master class!
But just before you're dismissed, here's one candidate who could do with a few tips.
Plane Talking
Reporter: Alfie Tieu
INTRO: If you've ever been on a plane you'd have heard the flight attendants telling
people to switch off their mobile phones.
Have you ever wondered why? Well, it's believed mobile signals could have
interfered with some important gadgets in the cockpit of the plane.
But as Alfie reports, new technology means the ban could be overturned.
Thanks to mobile phones, there's no reason to ever be disconnected from your
friends!
At home, at school, on the street.
Even in the car if you've got the right equipment but there is one place where mobile
phones aren't welcome.
It's up here, around 35 thousand feet above the ground.
IN FLIGHT VIDEO: Your mobile phones, and other electronic devices, should be
turned off.
And it's not just phones. There are restrictions on using other electronic equipment
especially during take-off and landing.
So why the fuss about phones? Phones work by sending and receiving radio signals,
and it's the same for some of the equipment up in the cockpit.
Any mixed messages or weak signals here could be dangerous, because the pilot
needs to be told when it's safe to take off, and to land.
ALFIE TIEU, REPORTER: Hello? Are you there?
But it's not just the pilot's radio. It was feared phone signals could affect the pilot’s
ability to fly the plane.
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ALFIE TIEU, REPORTER: These dials tell us what the plane is doing and where it's
going. And these three in particular receive information from the ground using radio
signals and that's what experts are worried mobile phones could interfere with.
No one's ever proven that phones affect the cockpit instruments. But airlines didn't
want to take the risk.
After all, they're responsible for the safety of thousands of passengers. Australia's
busiest airport, in Sydney, handles up to 800 flights a day.
So clearly there were safety concerns about mobile phones, so what's changed?
Many big airlines are installing new technology in their planes to make them mobile
phone friendly and here's how it works!
When you use a mobile phone on the ground, the signal goes to a receiver or base
station, which sends the signal through the network to the other phone.
But when planes are flying, they're too high to reach the receivers.
Now, airlines are installing their own receivers inside planes. So instead of sending
the information to the ground, they can send it up to a satellite which can pass it onto
the phone network down below.
Because all the information is going through this new on-board device, it can be kept
separate from the important signals being sent to the cockpit.
And the safety of this new technology has been backed by the government, so we
could soon see a change in the rules.
But it won't happen straight away! Some older planes aren't fitted with the new
device for mobile phones and on those flights the ban will still apply.
And while most airlines are open to the idea of allowing texting and emailing, they're
not sure that a plane full of people talking loudly on their phones would make for a
good in-flight experience!
So it's not yet clear whether you'll be able to phone a friend from the sky but for now
it seems e-mail and texting are set to take off!
Presenter: On the subject of planes let's have a quiz.
Quiz 1
What is the average cruising speed of a large commercial passenger plane?
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400 km/h
650 km/h
900 km/h
Answer: 900 km/h
Presenter: At that rate it would still take you about 2 days to fly around the world.
Pet Displays
Reporter: Natasha Thiele
Now, you've probably come face-to-face with cute puppies and kittens before at a
pet shop.
But have you ever wondered how the animals are looked after and what happens to
them when the shop's closed?
One school girl doesn't like the way the animals are kept behind glass windows and
wants stores banned from selling them.
But as Tash reports pet shops have to follow strict rules to make sure the animals
are treated properly.
NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: When buying a dog or a cat, you might think of
going to a pet shop
You've probably seen animals for sale in windows or in clear containers before.
And while these guys might get a lot of attention during the day from customers, they
also need to be looked after by the people who work there.
Pet shops are expected to follow rules to protect the animals in their store.
Some state and territories also have their own laws. It means everything from food,
hygiene and exercise is covered.
REPORTER: Here at this pet shop, these puppies are given regular exercise and all
this stuff needs to be taken out every day and the enclosure is disinfected.
And there needs to be at least one full-time staff member who's properly trained to
handle animals.
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But not everyone thinks displaying puppies and kittens in pet shops is a good idea.
STEVE LAWRIE, RSPCA: The main issue for us with pet shops is not so much the
conditions that they're kept in at pet shops. It’s where they get their puppies from
and it's the fact that they stick them in windows. What they're doing is they're
encouraging people to make a purchase on impulse.
And that's what's known as ‘impulse buying’.
It can be a big problem, especially around Christmas, when you get caught up in the
moment of seeing a cute dog or cat and end up buying it, rather than taking your
time to make a responsible decision.
This is Maisie, a school girl from Queensland.
She wants pet displays to be banned.
She's set up an online petition and already has one thousand people supporting her.
MAISIE, STUDENT: The little dogs are in tiny little cages and people can go around
and have a look at them all the time so they're almost just on show.
Steve owns a pet shop in Adelaide. While he uses display containers, he doesn't think
pets should be in the front window.
STEVE, PET SHOP OWNER: They are a drawcard into a pet shop, we do have them
at the front of the shop but not in the front window. They can get tapped on, so they
can scare them. So I'm not a fan of front window shopping, I prefer them in closer
into the shop.
And have you ever wondered what happens to the animals when pet shops close?
The rules in South Australia for example say they can be left there for up to 16 hours
alone.
Although some pet store owners like Steve, try to take them home as often as they
can.
STEVE, PET SHOP OWNER: When they're nice and small like this, they tend to stay.
But I have a rotation system, so one cage, say these guys might come home tonight,
and then tomorrow night I'll have these little kids down below me come home.
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If you're looking for other ways to find a pet, there are animal shelters where you can
adopt homeless dogs and cats.
So what do you guys think about dogs and cats in pet shops?
GIRL: It makes them look nice if they're sitting in a window and things, but it's also
cruel for the animals 'cause they're stuck in such small places.
BOY: I think the people who are in the pet shops take good care of them because I
know someone who is working at a pet shop.
GIRL: They should just make a like bigger place for the dogs and cats.
Presenter: OK there were lots of views in that story so let's make that our poll this
week.
Online Poll
The question is:
Should dogs and cats be displayed in pet shop windows?
To vote, just head to our website.
Fresh Juice
Reporter: Sarah Larsen
INTRO: Just over a month ago orange juice companies were facing tough questions
about their fresh juice.
It emerged that it sometimes contained bits of juice that were up to a year old.
So we thought we'd find out how orange juice is actually made and what has to
happen to it before it reaches the supermarket.
Sarah went to a juice factory to find out.
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: 30 years ago it would have been pretty rare to see a
bottle of fresh juice in a supermarket but now you've got dozens of varieties making
all sorts of OJ. There's fresh juice, 100% juice, ready-to-drink juice, juice drink.
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There's even juice on the shelves; canned juice, reconstituted juice, juice in a carton.
So what's the difference?
Most orange juice starts off in the same way; as oranges. Australia's farmers produce
hundreds of thousands of tonnes of oranges every year and there are two main types.
REPORTER: The best ones for juicing are Valencia oranges but they mainly grow
during the summer. Then during winter you find Navels. They're these ones that look
like they've got a belly button.
This Aussie juice company uses both types depending on what's in season. The first
step is washing them then they're checked by hand. A machine sorts them by size
before they're sent into the juicer. They're sliced in half and squeezed, just like you'd
do at home, only faster. The result? Fresh squeezed juice just like you'd make
yourself.
REPORTER: But if you tried to sell this at a supermarket as is it wouldn't last very
long. And you couldn't be sure it’s completely germ-free.
So at the factory the juice is pasteurised. In these pipes it's heated to about 75
degrees for 20 seconds. That kills the germs and makes it last longer. They can also
add preservatives which are chemicals that increase the shelf-life. So when it leaves
the factory you've got a couple of weeks to drink it. But you can get juice that lasts
much longer. During the Second World War scientists figured out a way to make
frozen, concentrated juice which they said tasted like the fresh stuff. The trick was
slowly heating the juice to boil off some of the water, then freezing it. To drink you
just added water.
1968 MINUTE MAIN AD: The housewife could conveniently make delicious
orange juice any time of the year.
Concentrates are easy to ship around the world and some companies use them to
save money or make their juice taste the same all year round. There's also aseptic
technology, which basically means germ free. The juice is heated to above 100
degrees then packed straight into a sterile container where no air can get in. Because
there's no bacteria, it's safe to drink for up to a year. It means juice companies can
store the sweet Valencia juice in summer and add it to the fresh navel juice in winter
to make it taste better. But even though the juice would contain some fresh orange
and some old aseptic juice, the makers are still allowed to label it as fresh. And that's
been causing some controversy. Some say we should be told exactly what's in our
juice. Heating the oranges to above 100 degrees destroys some of the vitamins and to
make up for that some juice companies add extra vitamin c. At the moment there's a
big inquiry going on into labelling laws and some politicians are pushing for changes.
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But whatever happens there'll still be juice in the supermarkets or, if you'd rather,
you can always make it yourself!
Presenter: Food for thought! Let's have a quiz about it.
Quiz 2
The question is: Which country produces the most oranges?
U.S.A.
Brazil
Spain
Answer: Brazil
Presenter: In 2005, six out of every ten oranges produced in the world came from
Brazil.
Let's move onto sport news and a big win in hockey.
Here's Kirsty with the Score.
The Score
Australia's men’s hockey team has smashed England and brought home its third
Champions trophy in a row.
The Kookaburras scored three goals in the first 15 minutes of the game.
And despite three penalty corners at the end of the first half, England couldn't score.
Aussie Jamie Dwyer finished them off with a fourth goal in the second half to take
the win.
But there was no celebration for the Wallabies who returned to Sydney on Sunday
after their weekend loss to the All-Blacks.
The Kiwis haven't lost a game in Christchurch since 1998 and they continued that
record with a 20-10 victory against the Aussies.
The All Blacks now have the Bledisloe Cup and they only need one point in their final
two games to secure the Tri-Nations.
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And soccer-season is underway in Australia! The A-League kicked off last week and
Saturday saw an epic battle between the two teams that competed in last season's
grand final - Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory.
The first two goals went to Sydney but Melbourne fought back midway through the
second half with three goals in seven minutes.
But then a stunning free-kick by Sydney substitute Shannon Cole levelled the match
at 3-all.
School Sport
Reporter: Nathan Bazley
INTRO: AFL players are pretty good kicks. So good in fact, that they can be prized
members of other sporting teams around the world.
For one young guy being dropped from his Aussie rules team ended up being the
best thing that could have happened to him.
He's found his way into American college football but don't let that fool you, school
sport in America is bigger than you could ever imagine.
NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: How big is your school footy team?
Do they have their own 95,000-seat stadium?
Do they have their own band, cheerleaders and full-time coaching staff?
Do they have a multi-million dollar budget?
And are the players treated like superstars?
If you answered no to any or all of these then you don't play American football and
you certainly don't go to school at the Louisiana State University.
But there is one Aussie guy who's just about to.
BRAD: I went to my first game at LSU, I thought it's a college game you know, and
there might be ten thousand people there. And it was the first game of the year and
there were 95,000 people there and the atmosphere was just crazy. Outside tiger
stadium there were 200,000 people there watching it on a big screen, its
unbelievable; it's really hard to explain to people who haven't seen it. Because it's
just like a grand final every single week.
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So how did Brad find himself on the edge of such an amazing experience?
Well it all started with some disappointment at the hands of his old Aussie rules
team, the Sandy Dragons
DAD: It was a family trip last Christmas and situation was Brad was on the cusp with
Sandy dragons and got cut, and my mate in America, Dave Teedy said well if you
don't make it with your Australian football, do you want to try American football.
But he did more than try. He stunned them with the kicking skills that are part and
parcel of AFL.
BRAD: The first day we went out, and the bloke that did it last year or the year before
was doing it and he was only kicking them about 20 yards and I sort of looked
around and said is he the one that did it last year and they said yeah. And so I was
kicking them about 50 or 60. And that's when I sort of knew I was a bit above
everyone over there in the kicking.
But getting used to a whole new game can't be easy and American football is a whole
lot different to our Aussie versions.
BRAD: The size of the ball is a lot different, the American ball is a lot smaller so you
have to hit it on a smaller sport to get to spin perfect. It's just, the drop you have to
have the same drop every single time whereas in Aussie rules you can be on the run
kicking your snap shots or set shot at goal, but with American football kick, every
drop has to be exactly the same, just getting that consistency on that drop was the
biggest thing I had to work on.
But work on it he did and after sending out a tape of his kicks to Universities he got a
call back from the LSU Tigers - one of the biggest football programs in the country.
DAD: Essentially he's going to get a college education, that's all schooling, all books,
all tuition, he gets all his food, all his accommodation, everything. It's a full athletic
scholarship.
You might be wondering how can the Uni afford that.
Well in America, school football is big big business.
Last time the LSU Tigers won the national title they earned more than 70 million
dollars.
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So they are willing to pour a lot of money and time into making sure they find the
best players first.
And luckily for Brad that means him.
Although after seeing this he might have more competition from kickers down under.
Presenter: And the college football season kicks off in September.
Closer
Don't forget to get onto our website and get more info about any of our stories. You
can send us your comments and tell us what you think in our poll.
And we'll see you next time.
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