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George Burgess, University of Florida

(THE CONVERSATION) Just when you thought it was safe to turn on your television, the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week and National Geographic Wild’s SharkFest are hitting the air with competing daily programming.

As director of the Florida Program for Shark Research and curator of the International Shark Attack File, my advice to viewers is to cast a jaundiced eye on each episode’s title and premise. Remember, TV show titles and preview teases ar...