Shoutbox

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6699847.stm

surely one of the most sickening tv shows ever made

heh, my friend told me about it today, pretty weird

We're the Dutch, we invented reality TV (well, Big Brother) .


The show is weird, but i can't say i'm against it.

It's meant to be a one-time show which is trying to get attention to make more people organ donor, which is a good thing. You could say it's weird that somebody gets to decide which person gets to have your kidneys, but the woman decides that herself, it are her kidneys, why shouldn't she be allowed to decide what happens to her own body?

Viewers can send SMS messages (which is unfortunately typical for *every* TV show these days), but they are not deciding, choice is still up to the woman.


Very weird show, but unacceptable? Not anymore unacceptable than putting people on a years-long waitinglist and having several die in the process.

It would be different when this would have aired on Talpa (a very sensational dutch tv station), or when this would have been a series... But this is a one-time show done by BNN which also did a show called "Try before you die" which was about terminally sick people who fulfilled their last wishes before they died, which was a surprisingly interesting show, not sensational at all.

quote:

---

Originally posted by toddy
surely one of the most sickening tv shows ever made

---

TBH, if i watch yet another season of Big Brother, or even worse "De Gouden Kooi" that airs here now and i compare that to what they say The Big Donor Show will be, i think Big Brother and Gouden Kooi are more sickening... at least this show won't feature people that act totally fake and are only in it for the money, and at least this show will have a message to deliver.

As I live in Belgium (neighbourgh country of the Netherlands), the story is well covered here. I also witnessed the start of the BNN station many years ago. And I sometimes watch BNN.

What they don't say (as much) in the stories is the big thing and legacy which Bart De Graaf (late director of BNN who died at 35 of kidney failure - he was waiting for donors too!) left behind in the media landscape of the Netherlands (and Belgium). And that this 'show' is only a one time thing to honor Bart De Graaf who died exactly x years ago (can't remember). I can perfectly understand their point of view. This certainly isn't a simple "let's make some new reality tv-series".

The issues at hand are indeed something to be discussed. And that is exactly what they are trying todo with this. To point out that people could save hundreds of lifes if they put up their organs for donations when they die. There are massive long waiting lists for donors...

On the other hand, maybe it isn't the best way to put this on the political agenda and it goes pretty far (but not too far?) as in what should be allowed on tv or not.

Still, it is very true that the 3 people participating in the 'contest' have an extremely bigger chance of getting a kidney than otherwise. Also, they are all three screened for having the closest match.

Note that the person who gives her kidney away would have done exactly the same thing in real life if it wasn't for the show. The only difference is that it comes on tv now.

The biggest problem people are having with this is that people at home can vote also to choose who gets the kidney (though this will not be decisive). And thus people at home will probably vote more on 'looks' than anything else. And as such, some have called it discriminating...

Also note that at BNN itself, they internally are constantly discussing this also and internally they are a bit divided too if they should continue with it and if so, in what exact way.

Nevertheless, and again, all this upstiring is also what they wanted to achieve: to address the big issue of the shortage of donors.

Some say, this tv show would be responsible for the death of two people (even in that BBC article it is stated). But this isn't so! The two people who don't get the kidney will still be on the waiting list, just like if this show wasn't made. On the contrary, they would actually save a life (from the 'winner').



As such, I don't entirly disagree with the show though.

why would you want to go on a reality show to win organs ¬_¬

my vote is against it

I'm with Menthix here, it's raising awareness of the need of donors tbh. Why shouldn't she get to decide who gets her organs. ;p

quote:

---

Originally posted by kao
Why shouldn't she get to decide who gets her organs. ;p

---

i swear a text vote decides? edit. oh wait, she gets the final call.. sorry.

cause i read this in the bbc article:

quote:

---

Originally posted by bbc
"It can't be possible that, in the Netherlands, people vote about who's getting a kidney," he told the BBC.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by M73A
why would you want to go on a reality show to win organs ¬_¬

---

because it gives you far, way far, more chance to get it and live.

If your life depends on it, would you rather wait for 10 years (!!!) to recieve an organ (and quite possebly die in the waiting process) or would you take a 33% chance into recieving the organ. And if you 'lost' you would still be on the waiting list as if nothing happened at all.

Except for religion believes (some religions prohibit giving and getting donors, even giving or getting blood), I think the choice is quickly made.

But it is of course your own choice and right to be against it and not to participate (or even watch). I perfectly understand if people have something against the whole 'show' aspect though. It is indeed something weird...

On the other hand who are we to prohibit the show from happening and thus to decide that those three people wouldn't have a chance of getting their matching donor? If all four people (the donor and the three candidates) agreed with it, then why not?

It is a good opportunity to get peoples' attention about the shortness of donors. See, even in the UK (and quite possibly other countries) they are talking about it now and it gets widely media-attention. This wouldn't have happened otherwise, very unfortunatly (as people need sensational things to get talking about something these days).


As last thing, something about the show itself. I don't know if it will be a "big game show" with flashing music, lights, etc, or if it will be a rather informative kind of talk-show. I too would rather see a decently made informative talk-show kind of thing than a "big flashy gaming show - American style (no offense)". And I dunno if it is already known what it will be, but I think this should also be considered, because it seems that many people think this would be a "flashy gaming show" and compare it to that. The thing is, we don't know, it could be that, but on the other hand it could also be a very decent tv program (which I believe it will be)....

it's just the idea as a whole, sure it's good you have a 33% chance of getting an organ. but, just doing it on tv is just a liiiiiitle weird .

dont get me wrong cookie, you make really good points, i'd go on the show if i needed a donor!

its good that it will bring organ donation into the public eye but it is kind o.t.t. on an ethical/moral level. turning peoples suffering/ilness into something to get ratings and make money, im against that, not against people getting organs.