Channel 4 is to tackle voter apathy with a new fantasy drama to shock younger viewers to the ballot box.
Last Rights will portray what might happen in a futuristic Britain in which the population has given up its right to vote. The channel is planning to broadcast the film around the time of the next general election.
The one-off show is being made by independent producer Touchpaper, which is also behind the channel's transatlantic drama NY-Lon, and was commissioned by the channel's education arm, 4 Learning.
"It will show what happens to democracy when there is so much voter apathy," said Heather Rabbatts, the managing director of 4 Learning. "It focuses on a young man's search for his friend who has gone missing, and highlights what happens to our rights when people choose not to vote."
The drama is television?s latest attempt to encourage people to use their right to vote. ITV's Pop Idol-style show, Vote for Me, will select a parliamentary candidate from 10 hopefuls chosen at auditions around the country.
The show, which will feature the former ITV political editor John Sergeant, came under fire from Alastair Campbell who branded it "crass" and "yet another crap reality TV show".
In the last general election, 57% of the electorate turned out to vote. Turnout was even worse in the elections for the devolved governments in Scotland and Wales, at 49% and 38% respectively.
4 Learning is also behind a new documentary series that will attempt to combine the appeal of Jamie's Kitchen and Grand Designs.
Bricking It will follow the efforts of 10 volunteers building an apartment in east London. Like Jamie's Kitchen, none of the apprentice builders - aged between 17 and 21 - have any qualifications and will learn on the job under expert tutors. The six-month project is currently being cast and is expected to cost around £1.5m.
guardian
