Is the Big Give a Big Tease?

April 03, 2008

Oprah Winfrey’s reality show The Big Give is getting a lot of attention from the news media and attracting millions of viewers.

But it isn’t really doing much to help charities raise more money, says Nancy E. Schwartz, a nonprofit marketing expert.

“I just don’t see evidence that it’s motivating a groundswell of giving and volunteering at the local level. Wish I did,” Ms. Schwartz writes on the blog Getting Attention.

“The show is just too fake,” she continues. “People aren’t biting, even though the mainstream attention the show has brought to causes and the nonprofit sector is all good.”

Can charities do more to take advantage of the attention they receive from TV shows such as The Big Give and Celebrity Apprentice?_ Click on the comments link below this post to share your thoughts.

— Peter Panepento

Comments

The short answer to would-be philanthropic TV shows: follow the money.

— Chris Casquilho Apr 4, 03:34 PM #
I like Nancy’s suggestions for nonprofits.

The Big Give is poorly edited and a bit heavy handed on trying to “start a movement.”

But I know I’m trying to pull out lessons for nonprofits AND donors on my blog.

I figure, with millions of people viewing, why not try to “capitalize” on it. grin

Those posts are at:
http://fundraisingcoach.com/blog/category/oprahs-the-big-give/

or

http://tinyurl.com/6o6hbw

— Marc A. Pitman, Fundraisingcoach.com Apr 4, 04:08 PM #
We know at the end of the show Oprah gives away a million dollars, I would like to know, how much money is she going to make from the show. So is it really the big give or the big take.

— Tom Jackson Apr 18, 11:11 PM #
This show seems pretty bizarre to me. First of all, what is the message being sent out when contestants are voted off for not “giving enough.” If you want people to embrace altruism you shouldn’t show people getting punished for not giving enough. Second of all, this show is not different from other reality shows in that all the contestants are trying to do the most in order to win-the main incentive, which seems to overpower their desire to help. I’m not saying they don’t actually want to help but many times that concept gets blurred by competition and animosity between the contestants. And of course, there is the question of how much Oprah is getting from this.

— Tracy Williams Apr 20, 08:34 PM #
Heavy handed or not, the Big Give shows some “regular” people getting into the game of fundraising. Could it start a movement? I think so. But the movement has to keep going without the Big O on board. It has to be us and others carrying the movement forward. Personally, I’m in.
http://biggiving.blogspot.com/

— Aaron Atwood Apr 23, 11:28 AM #

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Is the Big Give a Big Tease?

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