Real Life / Real TV
An interesting article in the Irish Times today: Satellite broadcaster dying to take reality TV to next level. A German television promoter is bringing Etos TV to air in Europe via satellite early next year. With an offering of two-minute obituaries, documentaries about cemeteries and programs about retirement homes and safety devices for the elderly, its developer, Wolf Tilmann Schneider, says his goal is to get Germans talking about death.
We had some interesting discussions about it this morning. In a world of aging populations, retreating taboos and reality TV, this actually makes a lot of sense. I think the business rationale is pretty obvious but I also think the founder has hit on something more profound: there are hundreds of thousands of people dying every year in Germany (millions worldwide) and all anyone gets for a lifetime of struggle and achievement is a tiny few lines in the obit section of the local newspaper.
I can understand that people would want more. The whole reason behind blogging, posting photos & videos online, etc., is an effort to put your mark on the world somewhere. People have a need to be recognized: it validates their existence. I wish etos TV a lot of luck. It will be interesting to see how it plays to audiences.
8 Dec
