Is the U.S. Ready for Death TV?

Honestly, it was only a matter of time.

The news hit this week that in Germany, a satellite TV provider plans to devote a whole channel to death and dying. It will have several different factors of it, with one being video obituaries, since they feel the death notices that appear in German newspapers aren’t so forthcoming with information. Segments will be produced utilizing video and pictures of the deceased and their loved ones. The world’s most beautiful graveyards will be featured in the programming, as well as items that will interest those over the age of 50, such as how to cope with death and how to go about organ donation.

The United States isn’t too far off from having the same thing very soon. A company is beginning to sell video tombstones. A message can be left so that those visiting hear and see you in obviously better days. The company creating these tombstones hasn’t made any yet, but does have pre-orders that are … waiting to be used for when someone passes away. The tombstone includes a solar-powered screen that can be flipped open by the visitors. There are headphone jacks to be able to listen to the message privately, although there’s no mention on if this means a visitor is required to bring his own headphones to listen.

Can we as a country be that far away from having a Death TV of our own? If we’re having video messages on tombstones, why not have a Satellite channel devoted to obits, graveyards, and issues of the AARP? Why stop there even? There has been talk before of televised executions, so that would make a great special event on Death TV, wouldn’t it? Tune in Tuesday night at midnight to see if Mark Murderer gets a stay of execution from the Governor or if he’ll face the needle for a lethal injection. Tune in directly after to see the reaction of his family as well as that of his victims’. Once the ball gets rolling in this direction, I’m not sure it could be stopped.