There is a report on the BBC today (see video here) that TV talent shows are having a positive effect on the number of children applying to stage schools in the UK. It’s a small piece of news, but one that shows what sort of effect positive media coverage can have on people’s attitudes.
CAARE has always argued that the National Lottery should be providing something similar and that its prime time television slot ought to be used to promote positive lifestyles. This might sound a bit bland but the reality would be programmes that show people doing things they are passionate about and the effect that expert teaching can have.
As a result, the National Lottery would become something other than simply a chance to win a lot of money. This image is reflected in the quiz shows that go alongside the draw on a Saturday night, again reinforcing the view that the Lottery is about the chance at a life of luxury, not improving the life of the people who play it. If the Lottery gave a better sense of what the money raised for good causes was going towards, there would surely be more of an incentive to play the game.
If X Factor can get children to go to stage school and Strictly Come Dancing can get people into salsa classes, there is no reason that a newly revamped Lottery couldn’t spark an interest in local sport or classical music. What is most encouraging is that there is clearly a public appetite for these sorts of programmes.
This is what the Lottery’s legacy ought to be, not a quick fix of a multi-million pound jackpot, but a way of showing the benefits that hard work and diligence in a particular craft can bring.
