Thanks again to the fine folks at the Boston Globe Travel Show, J2L Events and all the friendly Bostonians for the amazing hospitality.
Those of you who saw the “How To Travel With Heart” presentation on Saturday didn’t get to see the accompanying videos, so I’m posting links here as well as a link to the PDF of the presentation and finally, my Suggested Reading List.
If you are a traveler AND a reader (ver compatible traits I might add), then check out these books.
I truly enjoyed them and I don’t say that about many books.
– “Humorless Ladies of Border Control” – Franz Nicolay
– “How Much is Enough” – Robert & Edward Skidelsky
First time filming in Houston, Texas and what an AMAZING experience. Visiting Houston is like visiting several destinations in one swoop.
Like the state where it resides, Texas, Houston is BIG. Massive actually. It’s literally the size of a small state.
But what many may not know is that it’s also very diverse.
We ate a scrumptious Viet-Cajun feast, got outfitted in a custom cowboy hat & boots, participated in a ancient Chinese calligraphy and a tea ceremony in Chinatown and I learned to dance to Zydeco music with the “Queen of Zydeco” at a cajun honky tonk all while taking in some of the quirkiest art scenes I’ve ever experienced and eating some of the most amazing internationally influenced cuisine I’ve ever had the pleasure of trying.
It was unusually cold (my lips are still chapped), but the people were so warm and hospitable I didn’t feel the chill.
Thank you Houston, for your hospitality and for your kindness and yes for your diversity and quirkiness.
Be big…be Houston…but please don’t ever change, ’cause I love ya just the way you are!
Here is a clip from my appearance on KPRC – NBC 2’s “Houston Life” . Enjoy!
– Nat Geo People Asia Picks up Hit Travel Series from the U.S. –
New York, NY – October 13th, 2016 – AIM Tell-A-Vision® Group (AIM TV) announced today that Nat Geo People recently acquired Asian territorial rights to certain episodes of their production, Raw Travel®, the U.S.A.’S #1 most watched syndicated adventure travel & lifestyle series. The series began broadcasting on Nat Geo People in a variety of Asian territories earlier last month.
The announcement is just the latest in a string of licensing deals from Raw Travel’s international distributor Off the Fence Distribution, who has also inked several other deals for the series in territories in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and on a variety of airlines the past several months.
Off the Fence is responsible for licensing Raw Travel (58 x 30’) to media outlets outside of the United States and represents the show at global television markets, including the upcoming market MIPCOM later this month.
Raw Travel is a 30 minute adventure travel & lifestyle series that incorporates two of the fastest growing segments of travel: eco-tourism & voluntourism. The fast paced show focuses on authentic experiences to often off-the-beaten-path destinations as well as other more mainstream destinations. The show recently debuted its 4th season in U.S. Syndication in the United States in 159 cities representing over 93% of U.S. television households.
“We are excited about working with Nat Geo People in Asia and in continuing to work with Off the Fence to expand our international audience even as our U.S. fan base continues to expand” stated Robert G. Rose, Executive Producer and Host. “Raw Travel’s unique perspective and positive message of socially consciousness living among an inclusive worldwide community resonates with global audiences. We are eager to welcome our new viewers and friends from across the globe and let them know we are proud to be citizens of the world with them.”
My heart is always pounding hard in my chest when I make an appearance on live TV. I don’t know why it’s so different when I know the cameras are recording my images live as opposed to airing weeks or months later, as is the case on Raw Travel TV.
That said, the friendly folks at Good Day St. Louis on our affiliate KMOV CBS 4 put me at ease and despite my joking about the drivers in St. Louis (they are a little aggressive and I’ve driven in many parts of the world!), the people in St. Louis have always been super friendly, hospitable and polite when I’ve visited.
Thanks for a wonderful time guys.
Here is a video of the interview if you want to see it and while I hate to disappoint, no, I did not pass out from fright… this time. Click HEREto view.
This was my first trip to the fabled continent of Africa so I figured what better country to begin than the so called “Gateway” to the continent, South Africa. Less official nicknames for South Africa include “Africa Light” or “The Livable Africa”. I get a chuckle out of those because after later visiting Ghana, I realized it’s kind of true.
Johannesburg, South Africa or Joburg as the locals refer to it, is the largest city in South Africa and it’s the commercial center but it’s definitely not why most tourists come to South Africa. That would be Cape Town, the safaris and wildlife at places like Kruger National Park or perhaps the beaches of Durban.
This is precisely why we wanted to dig deeper into Johannesburg. I firmly believe that in every destination, there is a Raw Travel episode waiting to be teased out, probably several actually. This includes the well-traveled spots (i.e. New Orleans, Prague, Costa Rica, etc…. let’s show another side of it) and the more off-the-beaten-path destinations (i.e. Bratislava, Honduras, Laos, etc….let’s show why this place deserves to be visited).
Madeba is Beloved
I wasn’t sure what to expect in Johannesburg but two words were on my mind… “gritty” and “dangerous”. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
As you are probably aware, media reports can be wildly subjective and I’ve found, inaccurate. Yet another reason to visit and see it for myself.
The definition of “dangerous” is so relative it’s nearly impossible to define anymore. There is “war zone” danger and there is “everyday” danger.
I believe NYC with its rash of random violence (stabbings on the subways are back) these days, could very well justly be perceived as dangerous, yet I’ve lived here going on 20 years and never had more than a handful of issues that could have easily been avoided and where I came to no harm.
Which is why, I do some research ahead of time and consult not the news media or U.S. government web sites but travel blogs, social media and other travelers before I go.
Turns out Johannesburg WAS dangerous…. 10 years ago.
The Kids of Alexandra Township
Well, since I’m not traveling back in time, Johannesburg needed an update and I intended to do my best to see what was up in this city and this included hitting up the “dangerous” townships and neighborhoods where “poverty” exists.
Granted we were going with guides and granted, I probably would not have gone to these particular spots by myself at night with expensive camera equipment but that is just because I had no reason to, not because I perceived any danger whatsoever at any point. I’d like to think after 50 or so countries my “danger radar” is getting pretty fine-tuned and it ran silent the entire time. That doesn’t happen everywhere.
The reality is, that in the 3 township tours that we took… Alexandra, Soweto and Hillbrow… I found absolutely zero reason to be concerned and I felt 100% welcomed and almost, I hesitate to say it, but beloved.
I don’t know how else to describe the warmth of feeling when total strangers stop you in the street to hug you.. when kids wave and jump as you pass by and others wildly jump in your arms to give you a big hug and a kiss on the cheek and clap and sing and basically are so full of goodness, and lack of cynicism that I am still emotional typing these words weeks after my visit.
Rendani & I with Soweto Bicycle Tours
Perhaps I should not have been surprised in a land where the likes of Nelson Mandela and his legacy still loom so large. Madeba is beloved here and it’s infectious.
But beloved is the word I feel and thus what I will use.
My annoyance quickly faded to true affection for the Joburg Tourism folks and their staffers after they left us hanging at the Joburg airport waiting for a ride for well over an hour (after a 19 hour flight from NYC and after confirming numerous times beforehand that a driver would be meeting us at the airport when we landed). Severely jet lagged, exhausted and facing 16 days of a brutal work and travel schedule with little sleep ahead normally puts me in a somewhat surly mood.
From our driver, now my pal, Mndeni at Zeigen Tours and Rendani at Joburg Tourism and the rest of the crew like our local cameraman Mike Bell (one of the most talented and professional I’ve ever worked with), to Jimmy, a local guide who tagged along… to the dozens of other folks we met on the ground at the different filming locations… their spirit of friendliness and lack of guile completely extracted any negative thoughts or anger issues from my mind.
But how can they be so happy and joyful?
Mndeni & I at Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory
This was after all where Apartheid reigned up until just a few years ago. I mean in the U.S. we went through our Civil Rights period in the 1960s and today it seems, if you believe the media at least, race relations are as bad as ever.
Yet in South Africa where apartheid reigned until as recently as the mid-1990s, this was a place that, in my short time there I observed, was so lacking in bitterness and pessimistic thinking, even in the poorest of areas, that I couldn’t help but think “what are we in the U.S. doing wrong?”
Perhaps it’s an unfair comparison, but still… one has to be impressed with the way South Africa and Joburgers in particular have embraced their history. They are not ashamed of it. In fact they almost seem to celebrate it, proud that they found reconciliation or so it seemed to me. Now granted an outsider in town for a very limited amount of time but this is how I saw it.
Yes, apartheid was a travesty of human relations and people died and were severely mistreated for many, many years but as Madeba instructed through his own extreme example of forgiveness, it appears to have been relegated to the past by most and almost everyone we met seemed focused on the present… a loving and more caring present and an hopeful, optimistic future.
Of course there are problems (we witnessed 3 car accidents in our short time there). Of course there is inequality (we stayed at some very nice hotels while the Townships we visited are super raw). Yes, there is a massive difference between the needs of the wealthy vs. the everyday folks but there is no way it could be described as a hotbed of danger, divisiveness and crime as I’d allowed myself to subconsciously believe.
Johannesburg is by no measure ugly. It’s big, traffic is tough sometimes and it’s spread out, but it’s a place I’d gladly return. But even if it were a hellhole, I’d still go back to be with the people. Because I cannot emphasize this enough, it’s the PEOPLE who put the heart into a place and it’s the people of Johannesburg I will always remember.
With the Crew in Hillbrow
Thank you Joburg for not treating me like a walking ATM or as an outsider or interloper or exploiter, but instead as a fellow human being.
Raw Travel Episode #313 – “We Heart Johannesburg” will premiere in the U.S. April 30th and May 1st in the U.S. ClickHEREfor tune in info and see more photos from Johannesburg trip HERE.
The life changing possibility of travel is by far my favorite thing about my favorite activity. The way travel flips things on their head or side, or more accurately I suppose, how it flips me, the traveler and changes my perspective… forever. My brain expands to proportions from which I’m sure it will never return. Travel, I firmly believe, prevents brain (and heart) shrinkage.
Until this most recent trip to the Western Frontier of the United States (New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming & South Dakota), I was convinced that in order to create that atmosphere where mind and body are stimulated to a point of dramatic change, a potent dose of culture shock was in order, the kind I most often get from entering another sovereign territory’s borders.
I figured one had to dust off (or obtain) that little blue book (for Americans), the passport, and immerse one’s self into a totally foreign environment for maximum shock value. This gets the brain waves to flow in different directions than the day to day routine conditions which often dictate our lives.
While I still believe that international travel is by far the best, quickest and most rewarding way to get quick use of that other 90% of our brain that is just sitting there waiting to be tapped – you know that part that helps us realize we’re all connected – I must now, ever so slightly, amend my thinking.
Taos, New Mexico
Yes, a trip within the U.S. has changed my thinking on the very subject of travel and change. Not the last bit of irony this trip would uncover.
I’ll be the first to say that I had mixed feelings about taking this particular trip within the borders of my own country, to areas some of which, I’d even briefly visited before (albeit for extremely short visits and all solely dedicated to “business”).
But almost immediately upon arrival to New Mexico, I felt a familiar and welcoming feeling creep upon me. Upon the drive to visit the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuaryin a very rural, remote and beautiful part of New Mexico the realization hit me that this particular trip was going to trigger some of those very reactions in my brain, heart and soul that I regularly receive when abroad. There were amazing things to see right here in this country, beginning with rescued wild life. Wolves are amazing creatures it turns out and you put 70 or so together, howling in unison… it’s an amazing experience.
Producing is not my first love, but it is my greatest love. I love to produce and am able to produce largely because I’ve been able to do the other things associated with business (distribution, marketing, sales, etc.) to such a degree that I can, for the most part, call my own shots, and produce how I see fit. It is a rare advantage of being an independent producer in an increasingly non independent world.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Since I call my own shots, I had chosen this area of the U.S. Western Frontier as our next big trip for a few basic reasons.
1) I felt Raw Travel needed to broaden it’s message to folks who may, for whatever reason, be unable to embark on international journeys.
2) This was an area of the U.S. I was least familiar and I was curious.
3) I was charmed by the landscapes, recent history (the 1800’s are still very much celebrated here) and not so recent history (fossils & dinosaur digs abound) and by the people who live there
4) The still potent Native American culture & influence which has intrigued me since a child.
5) Let’s face it traveling in the U.S., theoretically at least, is easier. Less prep is needed and no language barriers.
I ate a lot of Buffalo!
Little did I know that this experience would have so many similarities to our international experiences in developing countries (i.e. working, adequate wi-fi was virtually non existent in a surprising number of brand name hotels we stayed in, my cell signal was at zero bars more often than not in the mountainous terrain and while most people spoke English of course, there were legitimately a few who still spoke their native dialect on the Indian reservations).
In short, I was in heaven…we would get our mind blown after all. This trip could be a mind bending, life altering adventure like all the rest. A couple of quick examples… ableit in the more negative column.
Just minutes after our first test flight (and crash) of our drone in Colorado, a very large and very live field rat was discovered in the glove box of our rental car. This somewhat cuddly (but scary when driving down the interstate at 70 MPH) creature had somehow made it’s way into our vehicle unbeknownst to my companion, cameraman & co-producer on this trip, Renzo. Renzo reached in said glove box to grab the rental agreement and instead let out a scream that would have made an 11 year old girl very proud. In all fairness, I joined in perfect, shrill harmony.
Then in Lander, Wyoming we unwittingly rented an animal excrement filled hotel room and promptly checked out just after checking in.
Also in Lander, a small charming town with a relaxed vibe, I couldn’t help but notice the proliferation of guns holstered on so many hips. Evidently a shoot out at the local burger joint could happen at any time. Come to think of it, the food orders were extremely accurate.
Ironically, the last time I saw such a blatant display of “freedom” was in Guatemala City, Guatemala.
But these examples are somewhat anomalies.
The kind of mind & heart expanding experiences I’m really talking about were more tame but just as powerfully etched in my brain. The interactions with everyday Americans in the height of vacation season was a wonderful opportunity to get to know locals and travelers from all over the U.S. in a totally different light.
Kissing my 1st Trout for Good Luck (Then Threw Him/Her Back to Fight Another Day)
Whether it was the family on vacation from Dallas taking their first hot air balloon ride (mine too) with Rainbow Ryders high above the town and terrain of Albuquerque, New Mexico…
or the Philadelphia businessman on vacation with his wife and young kids at the legendary (some say haunted but I say lovely) Occidental Hotel in Buffalo, Wyoming…
or the young adventure seekers in Utah and Colorado who came to pursue adventure sports like Base Jumping (jumping off a clip in a wing suit), paragliding, rock climbing, etc. and seemed hell bent on seeing if they could get a pansy, not-so-well-known travel host to throw up…
or the Wyoming rancher who, instead of throwing us off his land, pulled over in his big pick up to tell us where we could get an even more picturesque “picture” for our cameras.
No, I couldn’t help but happily notice that Americans ARE indeed a very friendly bunch.
Sure, you can easily find a cranky, grumpy person anywhere, usually quiet easily. But you have to look extra hard in places like Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota.. to find one single impatient, non hospitable jerk.
Paragliding High Above Salt Lake’s “Widow Maker” Mountain
With or without the cameras, people were cooperative, easy going and amazingly friendly and laid back.
In fact in Salt Lake City even the dreaded airport security personnel were super friendly.
Whatever is going on at the TSC in SLC I say bring on more of that to JFK please.
But I digress.
It wasn’t just the people that impressed. The landscapes of each of these incredible states simply stunned me on an almost minute by minute basis. I mean, I expected to get blown away (and even melt) in the high desert of Moab, Utah. The photos just don’t do the place justice. It’s surreal.
But I didn’t expect to try and look for ugliness in Colorado and be unable to find it. Every curve or corner turned into an “oh wow” moment it seemed.
Moab, Utah
BTW, Boulder…yep, I think I’m in love with you. It’s like the whole town is one big Whole Foods supermarket. In addition to eating healthy, organic, local, etc. Boulder folks can Kayak or Fly Fish right in the middle of town and they bike.. EVERYWHERE.
Someone (not me) kayaking smack in the middle of town – Boulder, Colorado
Colorado, unlike say Wyoming, has loads of people but they are ALL, it seems, outside all the time.
I discovered a side of Denver I never knew existed and despite the ruckus about legalizing marijuana, I saw very little evidence that this place is obsessed with this nearly as much as the national news media. I know it’s not as sexy, but if you ask me, Colorado’s mountain towns and mountain music are what people are high on. Marijuana, as I was to learn, is just a natural plant that’s been grown for centuries in North America and used legally for most of that time, for everything from clothing to medicine.
But the most mind blowing part of the entire journey was in South Dakota. No, not Mt. Rushmore (we didn’t even visit) but the Oglala Lakota Sioux Indian Reservation in Pine Ridge South Dakota where we ended our journey and spent, ironically enough, the July 4th Independence Day Holiday by celebrating with the 1st Americans at a local pow wow.
Badlands, South Dakota
If you don’t know about Pine Ridge Indian Reservation I invite you to simply google it. As we followed the trail first blazed by journalist Diane Sawyer, we too found all the sad facts… poorest county in the United States…. rife with substance abuse…some of the most prevalent rates of teen (and even more tragically pre-teen) suicide rates in the U.S., etc. ,etc. Online folks will go on and on about how this area is a third world country within the U.S. borders, and they wouldn’t be exaggerating that much. It is poor and there are problems that are fairly well documented.
But what you will also find and what is much less documented (and we therefore plan to showcase), are the many positive things happening on the reservation.
Organizations like Re-Memberand Native American musicians like Sequoia Crosswhite & Scatter Their Own are working hard to turn the messaging about this place around. They are grabbing control of their shared destiny and helping others help themselves.
Other positive things like Thunder Valley sustainable housing, the Skate Board Park recently constructed and for me at least, most excitingly, the travel and tourism industry is beginning to grab hold and help offer valuable income opportunities for many.
the new skate board park in Pine Ridge, South Dakota
Key to this and most importantly (and not surprisingly) to me, Pine Ridge has some of the nicest, humblest, soulful people I’ve met on this earth. They are rightly proud of their heritage, culture and spirituality that I think we as a nation need much more of.
I firmly believe that the right kind of sustainable, respectful tourism can help the folks at Pine Ridge turn over a century of tragedy and heartache into something positive economically while allowing and encouraging them to continue their proud heritage.
We conversed at length with proud descendants of famous leaders such as Red Cloud, Dull Knife and Black Elk and I found the reservation to be as fascinating as any international destinations I’ve ever visited.
Pow Wow at the Wind River Reservation – Lander, Wyoming
I’ll admit, I have a thing, a good thing, for the indigenous peoples of the world and in particular Native American culture here in North & South America. They touch my heart and soul in a way that few other people do.
After visiting Pine Ridge I am now forever touched and moved by my experience there and with other Native American interactions in South Dakota (the Alliance of Tribal Tourism Advocates), Wyoming (the Shoshone Wind River Reservation Pow Wow), Utah (the Adopt a Native Elder organization), New Mexico (Indian Pueblo Cultural Center) and more.
I’m very excited by what I hope you are going to see on Raw Travel – Season 3 this fall. I firmly believe it will be the Western Frontier as never or rarely experienced on television before. But I’m most excited about our time with the Native American peoples, especially at Pine Ridge and the opportunity to do some good.
I hope with our special episode profiling this wonderful place, that we can make real progress in some small way helping these proud and friendly people grasp the opportunity before them and that we can, in some minor way, help young people create a more optimistic outlook for themselves.
Yes, it’s official. I love Americans all over again…all of them… including the very first ones.
That’s a surprising gift and it’s one worth remembering.
When I visited my hometown of Nashville and Pulaski, Tennessee to shoot for Raw Travel I had two extra goals in mind.
1) Show the diversity of Nashville, both musically and culturally.
2) Dispel stereotypes about my hometown of Pulaski, Tennessee (just google it if you don’t know what I’m speaking of)
If you’ve seen the episode, then I suppose you can be the judge of whether we succeeded in our aims.
But if you’d like to see some of the musical diversity featured on the show, we’ll share with you a couple of musical artists who were kind enough to perform for us.
First up is Jonah Kraut, a singer/songwriter from Chicago. At first glance, Jonah fits the profile of the prototypical musician transplant so abundant in Nashville these days in that he moved here to be surrounded by music and the creative energy that finds its way to Nashville.
However, there is one notable exception. Jonah’s not looking to be the next George Straight or Kings of Leon or whatever. He’s a classically trained musician who was inspired by Nashville’s country, bluegrass and blues roots. Listening to Jonah’s music one could forget they are listening to a contemporary artist. The listener is taken back in time to the good old days of roots country and blues.. even mixing in some rockabilly from time to time.
I was inspired by Jonah’s music and his story and he’s truly a good guy. I loved hanging out with him and the irony of a Chicago transplant showing me around my own hometown was not lost on me. Though in my defense, I have been gone for quiet some time and while I lived in Nashville for many years, Pulaski is my true hometown and where I spend most of my time when back in Tennessee.
I hope you’ll give Jonah’s music a listen. You can find out more about Jonah at his website www.JonahKraut.com and here is Jonah performing for our cameras his blues inspired song “Company Man”.
On the other end of the musical spectrum are the guys from the psychobilly band “Hellfire Revival”. Psychobilly is a niche form of music combining elements of punk and rockabilly and more likely to be celebrated in places like the West Coast of the U.S. or internationally in hotspots like Germany and other parts of Europe, but I’ve found small scenes almost everywhere I’ve visited and Nashville is no exception.
These guys all have day jobs and while they are from all over, they moved to Music City not to pursue any big musical dream but to simply enjoy what Nashville has to offer to young, creative types, a cool lifestyle within a somewhat affordable cost of living.
They performed for our cameras in the heart of East Nashville. East Nashville is hot right now and not unlike Brooklyn is to Manhattan, is the place where artists and creatives are making their home these days because of less expensive rent and the plethora of cool spots to hang out. If I were to move back to Nashville, I’m pretty sure East Nashville would be my spot.
Here are the guys from Hellfire Revival having a good time and doing their thing, which as you’ll see, is neither Country OR Western.
“RAW TRAVEL” SEASON TWO PREMIERES WITH BIG GROWTH SPURT
– Successful Debut Season Leads to Big Growth & Proves Popular Among Variety of Viewers –
NEW YORK, NY: October 1st, 2014 – AIM Tell-A-Vision® Group (AIM TV) announced today that the syndicated television series Raw Travel® will debut its 2nd season this weekend in over 113 cities representing 85% of the U.S. and almost 100 million homes signifying a big growth spurt for the series.
Thanks to a successful debut season that saw the show quickly become one of the most watched authentic travel & lifestyle shows on commercial television, the series added an additional 40 markets to its affiliate list including Washington DC (CW), Cleveland (NBC), San Diego (CW), Dayton (CBS), Baltimore (Fox), Richmond (ABC), and Honolulu (My) among several others.
In addition to over 50% growth in the number of cities served, the show received station and time period upgrades in a variety of markets such as Houston (NBC), Philadelphia (My), Tulsa (Fox), Knoxville (NBC) and more, giving viewers more access to Raw Travel than ever before. Viewers can visit www.RawTravel.tv/wheretowatch for a complete listing of cities, affiliates and time slots.
One of the keys to Raw Travel’s growth was the show’s demonstrated ability to reach traditional broadcast audiences while simultaneously attracting new, young and hard to reach viewers like the sought after 18 to 34 year old demographic and millennials, a rare feat in broadcast television.
Raw Travel’s upcoming fall episodes will showcase authentic and alternative sides of popular destinations such as such as Krakow, Poland; Prague, Czech Republic; Vienna, Austria; Budapest, Hungary and Brooklyn, NYC. The show will also continue its specialty of shining the spotlight on less traveled, more “raw” and off-the-beaten-path destinations like Slovakia, Serbia, Romania & Bulgaria. While filming Executive Producer & Host, Robert G. Rose, and crew traveled like typical budget travelers, and continued their theme that travel is not just for the wealthy or famous, travel is for everyone.
“Raw Travel’s touchstones of respectful and authentic travel combined with adventure sports, underground music, social responsibility and environmental sustainability really connected with viewers, especially young people, many of whom seem to share my personal and idealistic view of the world. We’re helping shred the myth that young viewers won’t tune in to broadcast programming.” Rose says. “I couldn’t be more humbled and inspired from the reaction of passionate viewers of all ages. Besides, my mom says Raw Travel is ‘awesome’, so there you go.” Rose continues.
Raw Travel’s Season Two spring episodes will also feature treks to burgeoning travel locations in Southeast Asia and North American destinations such as Utah, Louisiana Cajun Country and more.
Raw Travel is an adventure travel & lifestyle series showcasing the rapidly growing wave of socially and environmentally aware, independent travel. The series weaves together themes of ecotourism, voluntourism (giving back) with underground music and authentic culture in a way unique to U.S. television. More information can be found at www.RawTravel.tv and viewers can visit www.RawTravelTrailer.com for a short video preview of the upcoming episodes from the fall episodes.
# # #
ABOUT AIM TELL-A-VISION GROUP
AIM TV is an independent content, production and distribution company founded by media executive and entrepreneur Robert G. Rose. AIM TV aspires to produce and distribute positive, compelling content that reflects its mission of presenting Media That Matters. Visit www.AIMTVGroup.com and www.RawTravel.tv for more information.
– Successful 1st Season Leads to Big Growth Spurt for Syndication’s Only Authentic Travel Show
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 2nd, 2014 – AIM Tell-A-Vision® Group (AIM TV) announced today that their latest production “Raw Travel®” is cleared for a 2nd season of syndication this fall. The show’s 2nd season will debut via broadcast stations in over 100 markets nationwide, representing over 90 million homes and over 80% of the U.S. homes this coming October.
In addition to several mid-season additions in Season 1, Raw Travel added 30 new markets for its record setting 2nd Season, including Cleveland (NBC), San Diego (CW), Richmond (ABC), Baltimore (My), Grand Rapids (Fox), Memphis (ABC/CW), New Orleans (ABC), Little Rock (Fox / CW), Albany (CBS/CW), to name a few. Additionally, Raw Travel upgraded stations and time periods in key markets including Top 10 markets Philadelphia (My) & Houston (NBC). The additional markets represent a growth spurt of over 40% from the series’ debut last fall.
Raw Travel is an adventure travel & lifestyle series showcasing the wave of socially and environmentally aware, independent travel. The series weaves together themes of eco-tourism, volun-tourism (giving back) with underground music and authentic culture in a way unique to television.
The show’s first (and current) season saw Raw Travel pulling audience increases in major demographics in key markets across the country. Particularly impressive was the show’s wide appeal in both male & female demographics and its ability to attract younger viewers to broadcast TV while maintaining and often growing older demographic lead-ins. Raw Travel also ranked #1 or #2 in key time-slots in several markets consistently.
“Our hunch was this show would work simply because it’s very different than what viewers can get on either cable or broadcast but it blew away our expectations. With 113 million U.S. passports in circulation and growing, travel has ceased to be a niche. It’s mainstream, wildly popular and growing, plus its way under-served,” says Executive Producer and Host, Robert G. Rose. “I think Raw Travel proves that good, unique 1st run, weekend programming can help broadcasters salvage sagging weekend numbers and give them a point of differentiation, especially as viewers continue to cut cable’s chord.” Rose continues.
For Raw Travel’s second season, the show has spread its wings and begun production in parts of Eastern Europe and North America with plans to travel to Southeast Asia and to return to Latin America, which proved popular with viewers in Season 1. The show’s “authentic” theme, along with the message that “almost anyone can afford this type of travel,” stands out from the usual high end, luxury “fantasy travel” or the glut of gimmicky, “reality” formats showcased on cable or primetime television.
The website www.RawTravel.tv features more information about the series and the shortcut of www.RawTravelTrailer.com showcases a short 2014-15 trailer. Interested outlets may view distribution information at www.RawTravelDistribution.com or contact AIM TV Group’s Vice President of Content & Partnerships, Jon Krobot.
AIM TELL-A-VISION GROUP ANNOUNCES “RAW TRAVEL” TV SERIES
– Indie Producer Announces a New Kind of Travel Series for Curious Travelers –
– AIM Tell-A-Vision® Group (AIM TV), the company that pioneered syndicated English language TV programming for U.S. born American Latinos, announced today their latest production “Raw Travel®”, a new kind of travel series showcasing the rapidly growing wave of socially and environmentally aware, independent travel.
The series incorporates eco-tourism, voluntourism (giving back) and adventure sports, with underground music and culture in a way, that is unique to television. The inspiration for the series occurred when AIM TV Founder Robert G. Rose was traveling abroad and discovered a trend among a growing number of socially conscious travelers who were striving for more authentic and rewarding experiences.
Rose collaborated on the project with his long-time production partner, Renzo Devia. The award winning duo rekindled their creative relationship and enlisted the help of other trusted associates from their many years in production to create four (4) complete, one hour episodes. The crew traveled to off the beaten path destinations which offered unique opportunities for authentic cultural, environmentally sustainable and socially aware travel experiences.
True to the title, the program illustrates the raw and, sometimes unglamorous, frustrating reality of independent travel while simultaneously showcasing how this type of travel is not only more affordable, but can spur the kind of growth and fulfillment that rewards and changes lives forever.
“Travel is the most powerful experience I know. It takes you through a wide range of emotions ranging from often irrational fear to almost always incredible fulfillment. We hope to demystify the concept of socially aware travel and, in the process, encourage people to get their passports and go meet the neighbors,” states Rose, Executive Producer and Host of the series. “Travel can spur empathy, deeper cultural understanding and personal spiritual growth. These are experiences that I believe everyone can and should have,” Rose continues.
The episodes currently produced include treks to Colombia, Argentina & Uruguay, Trinidad & Tobago and Ecuador with additional episodes slated to begin production once distribution is secured. An 8 minute video trailer can be viewed at the show’s website www.RawTravel.tv along with more information on the show, links to the blog www.RawTravelBlog.com and more.
AIM TV will be attending the upcoming NATPE convention as well as Real Screen summit to screen the series for interested networks & media outlets.
ABOUT THE AIM TELL-A-VISION GROUP
AIM TV is an independent content production and distribution company founded by media executive and entrepreneur Robert G. Rose. AIM TV aspires to produce and distribute positive, compelling content that reflects their mission of presenting Media That Matters. Visit www.AIMTVGroup.com for more information.
