The Big Donor Show

Dutch television networks aired a new show tonight; The Big Donor Show. Main idea behind it was that a 37-year-old woman suffering from an inoperable brain tumor wants to donate a kidney before she dies and will choose the recipient from among three contestants on Dutch national television, a TV network said Tuesday, claiming it wants to highlight a crisis in organ donations. Really tasteless, since Dutch people could send text messages to vote for one of the three contestants.

The show got a LOT of media attention - few highlights:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe...idney.show.ap/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6699847.stm
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/W...ow/2081481.cms
http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/sto...090151,00.html

The show turned out to be a hoax. The terminally ill woman was in fact a very healthy actress and the three contestants (who do have a kidney disease and who are waiting for a donor) were in this scheme as well.

I haven't seen the show itself, but after seeing how much it stirred up -both nationwide, but also internationally- I'd say it has been a success. I haven't seen so many debates on registering yourself as a donor or not as I've seen in this last week. And also, the show made it very clear how many patients are waiting for a donor kidney and how long those waiting lists are.

What do you think? Brilliant media plan or just plain tasteless?

It was a brilliant show And, even if it did turn out to be real, it was also done in a very respectful manner. Good joke, in the best tradition of Bart de Graaff (founder of BNN), for a good cause. One of the greatest things about it is the way politicians tried to top eachother in showing their disgust before the show even aired. They sure look like a fool now, with our PM being the biggest one.

LOL brilliant - only reading it's a hoax just now. I watched the first bit, but couldn't watch it all, seems like I missed quite a bit!

Before knowing it was a hoax I thought it was tasteless, but anything to get more attention to the donorcrisis, right. But after reading about the show being a hoax, I think it's brilliant. They got exactly what they wanted; lots of media attention and hopefully it will make people think - it definitely made me think! Everyone around me knows I would want to be a donor, but I have never registered somehow *blushes* - this was a good way to remind me.

And what clarity said, it definitely was in the best tradition of Bart de Graaff - I suppose there isn't any other network that could plan and work out a hoax, on such a matter, like this. And it was a well-kept secret, I haven't even heard the slightest rumour that it might be a hoax... good stuff.

I wonder what they'll do with the profits of all the people who texted to the show though .

I agree with you, Sara; the fact that it was a hoax, does make it brilliant - seeing how much attention they've received.

Bart has left a great legacy and I'm happy to see BNN's staff still works in a way Bart would have worked too. He truly can be proud.

I still miss him, though.

I just woke up, hearing all things about it. Brilliant marketing wise, everybody talking about it. Subject donor will be taking lead next couple of weeks

After it was announced that it was in fact a hoax, they played the sound of Bart laughing

As said in the show, all profits go directly to the Bart Foundation.

Ah ok thanks for clearing that up, didn't see the full show myself.