GEOLOGY FORUM: A LOCAL STATEN ISLAND, NY CABLE TV SERIES FOR COMMUNICATING GEOSCIENCE TO THE PUBLIC

The above authors are volunteer producers/hosts of a monthly local live call-in cable TV show called Geology Forum. This monthly series effectively communicates geoscience to the local public on Staten Island (population approx. 500,000). Time Warner Cable, the local cable company, provides public access for its 103,000+ customers and it provides studio training for its potential volunteer producers. This monthly one hour show starts with a discussion of current geologic events and is followed by a general geologic topic such as flooding in the northeast U.S.; local geology; landslides; earthquakes; volcanoes; hurricane vulnerability in the NYC area; and minerals and gemstones. In addition to the above hosts, special guest geoscientists and panels of geoscientists appear on these shows. Inasmuch as the major TV channels cannot devote the time to many local geologic issues, this medium provides local residents of Staten Island with answers to their geologic and environmental questions. These authors and their guests make use of MS PowerPoint and the internet and the audience is shown how to get specific information such as real-time stream-flow data, earthquake epicenters, hurricane strike probabilities and coastal evacuation information. As an example of this effective communication of geoscience to the public, a quick reservation of the studio by these authors facilitated a live call-in show on January 3, 2005 dealing with the December 26, 2004 Tsunami. The show was advertised in the local paper, the Staten Island Advance, and residents of Staten Island were able to call-in and get answers to their questions about this disaster. In short, this TV series provides the local public on Staten Island with valuable geoscience information.