Oregon Field Guide

Oregon Field Guide started as a partnership between Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.{{Cite news|title=ABC Homeless Movie Aims for Big Impact|last=Farrell|first=Peter|date=1988-01-30|work=The Oregonian}} The pilot first aired in 1989. The program became the sole production of OPB with the series premier in 1990, which began with the impact of drift netting for tuna on dolphins.{{Cite news|title=Two programs show off nature's wonders|last=Farrell|first=Peter|date=1990-03-07|work=The Oregonian}}{{Cite news|title='Shannon's Deal' Opens with Quirky Episode|last=Farrell|first=Peter|date=1990-04-16|work=The Oregonian}} Using the information from this story, Amen also produced an award-winning Frontline episode, titled "To The Last Fish", which aired in 1991. Oregon Field Guide was kept during major state budget cuts in 2003 that affected OPB.{{Cite news|title = This reality TV show is just too real|last = Monroe|first = Bill|date = 2003-05-18|work = The Oregonian|quote = With any luck, the Oregon Legislature will keep Oregon Public Broadcasting on its funding hit list ... and I'll be free from worry about getting scooped every Thursday on "Oregon Field Guide."}}{{Cite news|title=Public policy shows ends on Oregon Public Broadcasting|date=2003-08-31|agency=Associated Press}} In that year, the show budget was $300,000, with the majority of funding coming from the viewers.

Most stories are narrated by the lead producer/reporter, though Executive Producers Ed Jahn and Steve Amen have also narrated reports produced by others. Jim Newman produced over 250 Oregon Field Guide segments, and was brought on when Amen got the greenlight on the series.{{Cite news|title='Field Guide' send-off turns lens toward 'The Voice'|last=Muldoon|first=Katy|date=2009-09-24|work=The Oregonian}}

From the series premier in 1990, Oregon Field Guide remains one of the highest rated of any locally produced PBS show in the nation, and The Oregonian called it "the crown jewel in OPB's otherwise lackluster record of locally produced programming."{{Cite news|title=Woodsy 'Oregon Field Guide' an OPB jewel|last=Schulberg|first=Pete|date=1995-10-11|work=The Oregonian}} In 1998, the show was the most-watched local TV series in the PBS system.{{Cite news|title=Oregon Public Broadcasting and Microsoft Announce Alliance to Transmit Learning Resources Through Data|date=1998-02-17|work=Business Wire}}

Past producers/reporters include Jim Newman, Steve Lobel, Eric Cain, Jessica Martin, Vince Patton and Jeff Douglas.

Oregon Field Guide and its crew have won more than 25 regional Emmys in its first 26 seasons. The awards are for everything from best Environmental Program, Topical Documentary, Audio, Informational Special to Community Service. The programs have also won two Edward R. Murrow awards, several Telly awards, numerous awards from the Society of Professional Journalists as well as the very prestigious silver batonAlfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award.

The show's producers Vince Patton and Ed Jahn have received awards from the Society of Environmental Journalists Society of Environmental Journalists for "Outstanding Beat/In-Depth Reporting, Television". Patton received an award for his reporting in the episode "Marmot Dam," and Jahn for his reporting in "Biscuit Fire Recovery" and "The Silent Invasion." When presenting the award for reporting on the Marmot Dam removal, the society recognized Oregon Field Guide, stating:

{{blockquote|To watch these stories was to be there in the moment, experiencing it as it happened. Simply beautiful storytelling. Oregon Field Guide showed us things this panel had never heard of. More important, this program did what documentaries do best. They made a point to stay after everybody else left. By doing that, they were able to report beyond the headlines and were able to prove everybody wrong.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sej.org/initiatives/awards/sej-7th-annual-contest-winners|title = Winners: SEJ 7th Annual Awards for Reporting on the Environment|date = 30 August 2008}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/10/diligence_in_oregon.php|title=Diligence in Oregon|last=Waldman|first=Allison|date=2008-10-13|work=Television Week|access-date=2010-02-25}}}}

The show has won eight Regional Emmys.{{Cite news|title='Oregon Field Guide' scours state for compelling stories|last=Monroe|first=Bill|date=2008-09-30|work=The Oregonian}} One was in 1995 for the "outstanding informational series/magazine short format division",{{Cite news|title=Portland lands another network series|last=Schulberg|first=Pete|date=1995-06-15|work=The Oregonian}} and another in the "best public affairs special" in 1998 for their one-hour special titled "Willamette Water Quality".{{Cite news|title='Howie Mandel Show' has an unfunny start'|last=Schulberg|first=Pete|date=1998-06-23|work=The Oregonian}}{{Cite news|title=Report says just plain folks fouling the Willamette|last=Schulberg|first=Pete|date=1997-02-27|work=The Oregonian}}

It also received two Golden Eagle awards from the Council on International Nontheatrical Events in 1994: one for an hourlong report on "Cleaning Up Hanford",{{Cite news|title=Update on Hanford cleanup a chilling hour|last=Schulberg|first=Pete|date=1994-01-27|work=The Oregonian}} and the other for "Abuses of the 1872 Mining Law".{{Cite news|title=Business Notes: Elizabeth Madsen, former partner of ...|date=1994-06-05|work=The Oregonian}} The latter report also received an honorable mention in the Public Affairs category of the Pacific Mountain Network's "Best of the West" awards in that year.

Oregon Field Guide has filmed while diving in Spirit Lake, titled "Ecological Mysteries of Spirit Lake".{{Cite web|url=http://www.opb.org/programs/ofg/episodes/view/1912|title=Episode 1912: Ecological Mysteries of Spirit Lake|work=Oregon Field Guide|publisher=OPB|access-date=2010-02-25}}{{Cite news|url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nfh&AN=2W62W63146476993&site=ehost-live|title=Bits 'n' Pieces: Medical center video showered with awards|last=Bailey|first=Mike|date=2008-03-24|work=The Columbian|access-date=2010-02-25}} It showed the rebirth of the lake after the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.

The unfiltered and pure water of the Bull Run watershed, has been featured in two seasons.{{Cite news|title=Bull Run water topic of specials|last=Mahar|first=Ted|date=2009-10-13|work=The Oregonian}} It has also covered near-extinct bighorn sheep and mountain unicycling, and how Estacada High School students used Cycle Oregon's visit to raise funds for their school.{{Cite news|url=http://thetribonline.net/news/story.php?story_id=120053342242651400|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130222062357/http://thetribonline.net/news/story.php?story_id=120053342242651400|url-status=usurped|archive-date=22 February 2013|title=EHS students on Oregon Field Guide|last=Adams|first=Barbara|date=2008-01-16|work=The Estacada News|publisher=Pamplin Media Group|access-date=22 August 2012}}

The Silent Invasion was an OPB documentary production studying the threats posed by invasive species in the state. It was produced and written by Ed Jahn.{{Cite news|url=http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20070923/INVASIVE/70920056/OPB%5C-s-%E2%80%98Oregon-Field-Guide--series|title=Invasive Species: OPB's 'Oregon Field Guide' series|date=2007-09-23|work=Statesman Journal|access-date=2010-02-26}}{{Cite news|title=Oregon Public Broadcasting wins documentary award|date=2009-01-26|agency=Associated Press|location=Corvallis, Oregon}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.oregon.gov/OISC/opb.shtml#The_Silent_Invasion|title=Oregon Invasive Species Council Oregon Field Guide|work=oregon.gov|access-date=2010-02-25}}{{Cite news|title=The 'aliens' among us work quiet destruction|last=Mahar|first=Ted|date=2008-04-21|work=The Oregonian}} The documentary focused on the influence of yellow-star thistle, quagga mussels, spartina and English ivy, among other invasive species. The production involved a campaign and outreach component that included the Oregon Invasive Species Council (OISC) and SOLV Oregon. The ultimate goal of the special was to serve as a wake-up call about invasive species and to inspire citizens to take action.{{Cite news|url=http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/01/oregon_public_broadcasting_the.php|title=In Depth: Oregon Public Broadcasting: 'The Silent Invasion'|last=Waldman|first=Allison J.|date=January 2009|work=TelevisionWeek|access-date=2010-02-25}} Species documented included Yellow star thistle, Spartina, and Quagga mussels.

The special won a silver baton level Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award in 2009.{{Cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/01/12/daily12.html|title=Oregon Public Broadcasting wins major award|date=2009-01-12|work=Portland Business Journal|access-date=2010-02-25}}{{Cite news|url=http://news.opb.org/article/4018-opb-documentary-wins-dupont-columbia-award/|title=OPB Documentary Wins DuPont-Columbia Award|date=2009-01-12|work=OPB|access-date=2010-02-25}} The award jury was "struck by the boldness and courage of OPB to attack such issues and then to put resources against it." It also received three Regional Emmys.{{Cite news|title=Industry notes|last=Graves|first=Mark|date=2009-06-05|work=The Oregonian}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-vh5cc0w42t “Oregon Field Guide Education Program; Focus on Organisms; Part 1,”] 1994-03, The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting
• [https://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-zg6g15vp7d “Oregon Field Guide Education Program; Focus on Organisms; Part 2,”] 1994-03, The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting

Category:Mass media in Oregon

Category:1990 American television series debuts

Category:2000s American television series

Category:2010s American television series

Category:Geography of Oregon

Category:Oregon culture

Category:1990 establishments in Oregon