Washington, DC − National Geographic, the New Zealand Antarctic Research Institute (NZARI) and Antarctica New Zealand announced an unprecedented, cross-platform partnership to document the hard-working men and women working on the frontiers of science at New Zealand’s Scott Base, Antarctica.
The partnership includes significant funding to support scientific research and an agreement to showcase the challenging work undertaken by the researchers and support staff through a global television series for National Geographic Channel, articles in National Geographic Magazine and multimedia content on the National Geographic web platforms.
Antarctica is a continent that is entirely focused on science. Every single Antarctican is either engaged in pivotal scientific projects to learn more about the planet, or engaged in supporting this research – or both. Between the extremes of the harsh continent itself and the focused dedication of the communities around the work, life on an Antarctic base is like a fully operational extraterrestrial facility – a space station on ice. Each person on base works to keep the science running and to make this place habitable, from contemplating how to drill through the 300-metre-thick Ross Ice Shelf to how to serve hot meals to a cold crew to gearing up and guiding teams to brave the elements on the ice.
Now, for the first time, National Geographic is entering into an exciting new partnership which will allow it to accompany the research expeditions, and document life in this isolated outpost like never before.
“There is no one but National Geographic who can truly offer a 360 degree look inside this important scientific community,” said John Francis, Vice President for Research, Conservation, and Exploration at the National Geographic Society. “The work being done here not just by the scientists but the army of support staff is heroic, and the world should know about it.”
“We are all about bringing our viewers a real look inside places most will never go,” added Tim Pastore, President, Original Programming and Production for National Geographic Channel. “Our series will document the incredible feats that take place on a daily basis on the least explored continent in the world.”
