"SKY" FALL

There is, of course, the faintest of possibilities that this is just one of those rumours that made it into the newspapers (other news media outlets are available) and got spread about without there being one shred of truth in it, but it has been suggested that, with almost indecent haste, not even a year after his death, and following more than half a century of production, the BBC, in it's infinite wisdom, are "considering" (i.e. May have already decided) swinging the axe on the astronomy series "The Sky At Night."

The cynics amongst us might just think that they were just waiting for Sir Patrick to slip away before they swung that axe and put his life's work to the sword, but I don't really believe that they're quite such the corporate softies that such a decision to at least wait a while might at first suggest.

Admittedly, this quirky, little and rather "specialist" programme is something of an anomaly in the modern brioadcasting landscape but that is actually one of its charms, and considering how much it has inspired generations of astrophysicists in Britain and the World to explore the heavens, it's probably put back far more than it ever takes out and no doubt costs far less to put together than the price of the fees of one superstar appearing on another kind of "search for a star" entertainment show.

Sir Patrick and his almost boundless enthusiasm for all things astronomical might be a hard act to follow, but actually, I think the current bunch are doing a pretty good job and Chris Lintott is pretty much Sir Patrick's protege, but I do think it would be a shame to let it go... and when there are "names" like Brian May, Ben Miller, Jon Culshaw, Dara O'Briain and Ed Byrne showing an interest in all things "space-related" in the media these days, alongside the likes of Professor Brian Cox, you'd think that it ought to have a future when "science on the telly" is such a "big thing" these days...

You can understand that something that is rather a niche programme would have a lot of people wondering what all of the fuss is about and, despite the moving wallpaper that they watch on a Saturday night, looking at this little bit of "serious but fun" science and saying to themselves that it is "really boring" (or something equally original) but a public service broadcaster (with an emphasis on the "broad" part) should find ways to entertain all of its potential audiences, not just the ones for whom thinking is something that happens to other people.

So, despite the obvious risk of derision for coming out and publicly declaring my admiration for this silly little show which I enjoy so much, I clicked on the links (see below) and joined the FizzBok protest group, and I signed the petition to "save" it (much as I did when they tried to "save" Television Centre, and look what a difference that made...) not really because I expect it to make any real difference in the great scheme of things but simply because I wanted to register my objection and not let yet another of the precious icebergs that make up my life slip away without at least putting up a little bit of a fight.

I know it's eccentric, and I know that there are people who really would wonder quite what all this fuss is about, whilst equally wondering why I will put my limited support behind an issue like this whilst letting the big issues of life, death and cruelty, the famines, the disasters, the wars and the refugees, all go unremarked upon in the small scheme of my life, but that's an easy one, really.

There are already plenty of people jumping on bandwagons for the "big issues" and the big issues are always followed by yet another high profile big issue which also needs our attention, but those kinds of things are the things that pretty much everybody that matters cares about and everyone who is inclined to pitches in and does their best to help where they can.

But it is in the small things, the things that other people are prepared to let slip away on a flawed argument, like, for example, your civil liberties sailing away on a sea of "If you've got nothing to hide, you've nothing to fear" nonsense, or those quirky but fascinating minority enjoyments that the great bullying Gods of Football kick out of their way on the path to global domination of everyone's entertainment options that need to be nurtured, protected and looked after.

And... well, you've got to do something to fight for the things you love, right? And it's better to go down fighting than to just let things slip meekly away...

Perhaps a line like "Rage! Rage! Against the dying of the light" would be appropriate here, except for the fact that "The Sky At Night" is all about light, and much of it is about light coming from parts of the universe which may already be dead as far as we can tell, and all of which eventually will be, meaning that the cold, unfeeling universe is also unlikely to mark the passing of a little TV show which has always held it in the most high regard.

I know this stuff, because I learned it from watching "The Sky At Night" by the way...

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-bbc-please-do-not-axe-the-sky-at-night

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1398600837035939/#_=_