Doctor Who, Social Enterprise
If you're a regular reader of this site, you know that I post about a number of things that--to say the least--you typically won't find on other blogs dealing with law and social enterprise. Comics, art, McLuhan and sex are a few, but we can't forget the one that has loomed large in my life ever since I first saw it back in 1972:
Doctor Who.
For folks who can't see the connection between my professional life and these various and sundry interests, I'd suggest first--if ya got nothing better to do this summer--that you reread my article on nonprofit design and look for the various thematic hints I've been dropping on this here site. I also have a few larger projects that will make things clearer, and as they get farther along I'll describe them in more detail here.
But for Doctor Who, there's also a more direct connection than my universal theory of do-goodery: Doctor Who is itself a social enterprise, an innovative hybrid venture in service of the public good.
No, really. Y'see, the BBC is a corporation expressly formed for public purposes, such as "sustaining citizenship and civil society," "promoting education and learning," and "stimulating creativity and cultural excellence." Doctor Who is not just the show that receives the greatest number of mentions in the BBC's Annual Report; it's also regularly cited as a show that strengthens families, teaches children, fosters creativity and embodies the highest values of the dramatic arts. Moreover, Doctor Who generates substantial financial returns through the BBC's commercial arm, thereby funding not just itself but the whole of the BBC's public mission.
Of course, with this public mission comes a range of issues quite familiar to anyone who was worked with charitable dramatic productions. How much is appropriate to spend on talent and special effects? Can a program be too commercial? And in a morally diverse society, exactly what social values should it espouse?
Once Series 4 has been shown in its entirety here in the States I'll post an illustrative scene or two, but for now, just this simple observation. When you come into my office and see the show playing in the background, the Daleks on bookshelf and the sonic screwdriver next to my laptop remember--this stuff isn't just entertainment; it's saving the world!
Doctor Who.
For folks who can't see the connection between my professional life and these various and sundry interests, I'd suggest first--if ya got nothing better to do this summer--that you reread my article on nonprofit design and look for the various thematic hints I've been dropping on this here site. I also have a few larger projects that will make things clearer, and as they get farther along I'll describe them in more detail here.
But for Doctor Who, there's also a more direct connection than my universal theory of do-goodery: Doctor Who is itself a social enterprise, an innovative hybrid venture in service of the public good.
No, really. Y'see, the BBC is a corporation expressly formed for public purposes, such as "sustaining citizenship and civil society," "promoting education and learning," and "stimulating creativity and cultural excellence." Doctor Who is not just the show that receives the greatest number of mentions in the BBC's Annual Report; it's also regularly cited as a show that strengthens families, teaches children, fosters creativity and embodies the highest values of the dramatic arts. Moreover, Doctor Who generates substantial financial returns through the BBC's commercial arm, thereby funding not just itself but the whole of the BBC's public mission.
Of course, with this public mission comes a range of issues quite familiar to anyone who was worked with charitable dramatic productions. How much is appropriate to spend on talent and special effects? Can a program be too commercial? And in a morally diverse society, exactly what social values should it espouse?
Once Series 4 has been shown in its entirety here in the States I'll post an illustrative scene or two, but for now, just this simple observation. When you come into my office and see the show playing in the background, the Daleks on bookshelf and the sonic screwdriver next to my laptop remember--this stuff isn't just entertainment; it's saving the world!
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Wasn't Dr. Who orginally intended as an educational series on science and history?
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