I've been trying for two years to get an RAF-oriented TV drama series off the ground (pun entirely intended), and I hope I've done enough homework that it wouldn't get this sort of reaction on here.
The point is, though, I'm still trying, rather than doing, which I think elucidates the problem quite well. Broadcasters chase audience figures; it's not a whole hell of a lot to do with quality. Quality doesn't sell. Careful research doesn't sell.
But also: relax, folks. Coverage of any sort is almost always good. The armed forces in this country are practically invisible to the rest of the population. The reaction to journalists on this forum, the reaction to this TV show (which seems to have been tedious rather than malicious), even the reaction to that poor unfortunate C-130 pilot's interview, which was entirely positive and the sort of thing we'd hope to see more of, is for want of a better word, much too uptight.
Yes it'd be nice to see more of the cooks and bottle washers (er, Combat Chefs, anyone?) and the forces in general in both documentary and drama, but in the meantime, let's at least try and be thankful for small mercies, eh?
P