The sad thing is that the more entertaining fake mock-u-mentaries are likely drawing in more fans and viewing ratings. So they get more focus - they get more budget - they get more entertaining. And so after a few years of chasing the ratings the madness is in and the intelligence is out the window. It's clearly a pattern for most of the formerly educational focused channels.
It's also likely a coupling with a lack of intelligent presenters who can present and design a show which is educational without it being "boring".
One really shouldn't have to make stuff up to amaze people with nature, its got amazing things. Heck considering that most people's typical encounter with nature is a walk through the park you don't even have to get all that adventurous to amaze them. And by how easily lies draw them in its clear that most have a significantly major lacking in any natural studies as it is. Heck they could likely repeat the same documentaries year on year with a few minor changes and the average person would be educated and entertained - the only ones to complain then would be shark enthusiasts who'd have more established understanding.
That said I've seen Nat Geo video documentaries - they were bad. Bad as in it was like they'd let the coffee boy direct them and given him a shoebox budget - there was some decent content in there (it is after all the Nat Geo coffee boy) but it just wasn't anywhere near the calibre of something like the BBC productions (Although I'd say that they too have suffered over the years).
