For an article in PR Week, I have commented on whether screenwriters can take a starring role in public affairs.
Dr Stuart Thomson, founder, CWE Communications
“There is nothing new about the impact that TV can have on the political discourse. Dramas and dramatisations have the power to bring issues into people’s homes and make them the subject of conversations. Ken Loach’s Cathy Come Home in the 1960s shed light on homelessness; Edge of Darkness in the 80s brought attention to government secrecy; Threads about nuclear war; and Queer as Folk at the start of this century brought gay life to mainstream audiences. But soap operas, too often overlooked, regularly bring attention to societal issues. I well remember mental health storylines in EastEnders which started to change attitudes. Does that make them useful lobbying tools? Absolutely. But not a new one.
“While campaigners may crave the attention that a drama can bring, there is no getting over the fundamentals of needing a good script and great actors. Could issues such as the climate crisis or small boats be the subject of dramas that could bring about political change? Yes. There is, though, the danger of over-saturation and campaigns always need vocal champions. Only a select few dramas hit all these marks and achieve real, lasting change.”
See PR Week for full article.