ABC NEWS: TURNING POINT: DEADLY GAME: THE MARK
AND DELIA OWENS STORY (TV)

Summary

One in this series of news magazine programs that takes an in-depth look at a specific topic. This installment, anchored by Diane Sawyer, focuses on conservationists Mark and Delia Owens, who moved to Zambia to study its animals and then stumbled upon a society of elephant poachers. Facing an indifferent government, the couple decided to try and save the largest mammal on earth. With only a small untrained staff of game wardens, Mark and Delia accomplished their task. First, correspondent Meredith Vieira reviews the reasons that the couple moved to Zambia, and the Owens describe the way they became involved with saving the elephants. Mark states the difficulty of getting Zambian government officials to help stop poaching, while Delia recalls Mark's obsessive nature; each describes how the battle jeopardized their marriage as well as their physical well-being. Eventually, however, Mark gained the respect of game wardens and received financial backing for his cause, while Delia trained local villagers to provide them with profitable vocations that would deter them from killing elephants. Mark and Delia explain how they started as scientists and became foreign aid specialists, remarking on the moral issues they are faced with every day. For instance, game wardens must shoot poachers as soon as they see one, otherwise, they will be shot themselves; the Owens have resolved that in order to save the elephants, they must sacrifice human beings. On the other side of the story, two hunters explain how they are "saving elephants" by shooting them in hunting territory elsewhere in Africa. In the final segment, the Owens try to assess the damage done to the elephant population, tag a matriarch elephant so they can keep track of her herd, and comment on their hopes for the future of their adopted country. This program includes footage of Zambian wildlife, hunters tracking elephants, and a game warden shooting a poacher numerous times. Includes commercials and promos. This program is closed-captioned.

(This program contains graphic violence.)

("Turning Point" became a series of irregularly scheduled specials beginning in 1995.)

Cataloging of this program was made possible by The Marc Haas and Helen Hotze Haas Foundation, 1997.

Details

• NETWORK: ABC
• DATE: March 30, 1996 Saturday 10:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 0:59:59
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: T:42580
• GENRE: Magazine; Talk/Interviews
• SUBJECT HEADING: Africa; Animals, treatment of; Conservation of natural resources; Environment; She Made It Collection (Meredith Vieira)
• SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1994-
• COMMERCIALS:
  • TV - Commercials - Cadillac DeVille automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Dreyer's ice cream
  • TV - Commercials - Florida's Natural Premium Brand juice
  • TV - Commercials - Healthy Choice cereal
  • TV - Commercials - JCPenney department stores
  • TV - Commercials - Kellogg's Corn Flakes cereal
  • TV - Commercials - Lexus automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Macintosh computers
  • TV - Commercials - McDonald's fast food
  • TV - Commercials - Mervyn's California clothing stores
  • TV - Commercials - Migraine anti migraine medications
  • TV - Commercials - Polaroid instant cameras
  • TV - Commercials - Primestar cable service
  • TV - Commercials - Scott's fertilizer
  • TV - Commercials - Shake 'N' Bake chicken coating
  • TV - Commercials - Transitions lenses
  • TV - Commercials - Tylenol pain relief tablets
  • TV - Commercials - United States Postal Service Priority Mail delivery service
  • TV - Promos - "ABC News"
  • TV - Promos - "ABC Sports"
  • TV - Promos - "City View"
  • TV - Promos - "High Incident"
  • TV - Promos - "Home Improvement"
  • TV - Promos - "Maximum Force"
  • TV - Promos - "Murder One"
  • TV - Promos - "NYPD Blue"
  • TV - Promos - "Oprah"
  • TV - Promos - "Radian City"
  • TV - Promos - "Second Noah"
  • TV - Promos - "The Diet Mug Root Beer Dana Carvey Show"
  • TV - Promos - "Turning Point"

CREDITS

• Betsy West … Executive Producer
• Janice Tomlin … Senior Broadcasting Producer
• Rudy Bednar … Senior Producer
• Andrew Tkach … Producer
• Ellen Bakalian … Associate Producer
• Roger Goodman … Director
• Lou Castellar … Animation
• Paul Hillman … Animation
• Victoria Hunter … Animation
• Suresh Khanija … Animation
• Jane Manning … Animation
• Charles Rohlfs … Animation
• Brian Keane … Music by
• Bill Conti … Theme Music by
• Diane Sawyer … Anchor
• Meredith Vieira … Reporter
• Mark Owens … Guest
• Delia Owens … Guest
• Jeff Michael … Talent, "ABC News" promo
• Ana Garcia … Talent, "ABC News" promo