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Dreamer128 · 06-01-2007, 01:35 PM

SMS and decide over matters of life and death. Looks like they lifted reality shows to the next level.

Kidney up for grabs in TV show

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A dying woman will pick a "winner" from three people wanting her kidneys during a reality TV show on Friday that has been widely criticized as unethical.

Identified only as "Lisa", the 37-year-old woman who has a brain tumor will base her selection on the person's history and conversations with the candidates' families and friends.

Viewers in the Netherlands can give advice via text messages during the 80-minute show which starts at 1830 GMT.

The show has set off a storm of criticism, both at home and abroad, and many believe reality TV has gone too far.

The government has condemned the program as unethical and inappropriate but said there is no law banning such a show. The European Commission has criticized it as being in "rather bad taste".

Public broadcaster BNN, which came up with the idea, said it wanted to draw attention to the growing shortage of organ donors in the Netherlands.

"We are making a program that we know is extremely controversial ... But we believe the reality is far worse," BNN chairman Laurans Drillich told Reuters in an interview, pointing to long waiting lists for organs.

Patients have welcomed the furor over their plight.

"These are the two positive things: the public renunciation of our system and the brave courage of this lady to make this gesture," said Chel Mertens, director of the Kidney Patients' Union of the Netherlands, who has himself received a kidney.

The Netherlands has one of the lowest donor rates in Europe, according to data compiled by the country's Health Council. European Union figures show an improved supply of donor organs could save 10 lives a day across the 27 countries.

Reaction across Europe has been mostly negative.

Only the Dutch could spawn such a show, said conservative German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Web site BellaOnline, which calls itself the voice of women, questioned whether Dutch TV had gone too far.

Callers to a local radio station even suggested the whole thing could be a hoax by BNN to build up its ratings. In a poll of 400 people by research agency Synovate, two-thirds of respondents said the show was a bad idea.

Young people are more likely to watch the show rather than older viewers, the survey showed.

BNN made headlines some years back with a show called "Shooting and Swallowing" underlining the impact of drug use, and another show on sex called "This is How You Screw".

(Additional reporting by Svebor Kranjc)

(Source: Reuters)

06-01-2007, 01:35 PM	#1
Dreamer128 Dracolisk Join Date: March 21, 2001 Location: Europe Age: 39 Posts: 6,136	SMS and decide over matters of life and death. Looks like they lifted reality shows to the next level. Kidney up for grabs in TV show AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A dying woman will pick a "winner" from three people wanting her kidneys during a reality TV show on Friday that has been widely criticized as unethical. Identified only as "Lisa", the 37-year-old woman who has a brain tumor will base her selection on the person's history and conversations with the candidates' families and friends. Viewers in the Netherlands can give advice via text messages during the 80-minute show which starts at 1830 GMT. The show has set off a storm of criticism, both at home and abroad, and many believe reality TV has gone too far. The government has condemned the program as unethical and inappropriate but said there is no law banning such a show. The European Commission has criticized it as being in "rather bad taste". Public broadcaster BNN, which came up with the idea, said it wanted to draw attention to the growing shortage of organ donors in the Netherlands. "We are making a program that we know is extremely controversial ... But we believe the reality is far worse," BNN chairman Laurans Drillich told Reuters in an interview, pointing to long waiting lists for organs. Patients have welcomed the furor over their plight. "These are the two positive things: the public renunciation of our system and the brave courage of this lady to make this gesture," said Chel Mertens, director of the Kidney Patients' Union of the Netherlands, who has himself received a kidney. The Netherlands has one of the lowest donor rates in Europe, according to data compiled by the country's Health Council. European Union figures show an improved supply of donor organs could save 10 lives a day across the 27 countries. Reaction across Europe has been mostly negative. Only the Dutch could spawn such a show, said conservative German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Web site BellaOnline, which calls itself the voice of women, questioned whether Dutch TV had gone too far. Callers to a local radio station even suggested the whole thing could be a hoax by BNN to build up its ratings. In a poll of 400 people by research agency Synovate, two-thirds of respondents said the show was a bad idea. Young people are more likely to watch the show rather than older viewers, the survey showed. BNN made headlines some years back with a show called "Shooting and Swallowing" underlining the impact of drug use, and another show on sex called "This is How You Screw". (Additional reporting by Svebor Kranjc) (Source: Reuters)