Phil Vischer’s Video
Phil Vischer–original creator of Big Idea and Veggie Tales–has a new venture in production. Based on the introductory video (embedded below), Jelly Telly aims to be a web-based video network for christian kids. It appears Jelly Telly will have a subscription model where each user chooses how much they will pay.
I don’t think this is a bad idea per say
I have to admit, I have a few reservations (questions, at the very least) about the video. First let me say, I think Phil is an extremely talented individual. My oldest daughter grew up on Veggie Tales in the late 90s and, while BIG Idea took somewhat of a sad turn, I think the the entire endeavor benefited a lot of families.
I also have no problems with choose your own price model for arts/media. It has already proved viable by Radiohead and other businesses are experimenting with it.
Entrepreneurship versus ministry
My primary question is this: is Jelly Telly a business venture, or is it a ministry? Yes, a christian entrepreneur will have many opportunities to glorify God and minister to others. Someone else called to full-time ministry may support themselves by working (recall that Paul made tents). But those are scenarios where one complements the other. I’ll explore this more in a later post, but I personally don’t feel a new, focused endeavor by a believer can be both.
If Jelly Telly is a ministry, I would stop worrying about Nickelodean and the Disney Channel (he mentions them frequently in the video). There would be no reason to even consider competing with them.
If Jelly Tell is a business, I hope Phil has plans to reach the tween and teen demographic. Most of the samples in the video appear to target the 2-11 crowd. Big companies know how to market to kids. Girls especially gravitate to themes above their age group. Tweens watch shows about teens. Teens read Vogue and watch The Hills (shudder). Hannah Montana may be set in high school, but 16 year-old girls aren’t watching it.
Finally on the business front, I hope video isn’t the only move in the Jelly Telly playbook. Internet use among kids is meeting or exceeding television use in the US and UK. I doubt that time is spent merely watching online videos. Social networks, games, and communication is my guess.
Whatever Jelly Telly wants to be, I hope they make wise decisions and grow organically. My prayers go out to Phil and the team.
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7 Responses to “Phil Vischer’s Video”
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Ed - I think that to a large degree ministry and business are mutually exclusive when you define ministry as “giving (help, teaching, counsel, time, etc) to bless others” and business as “making a profit”.
But I don’t think that is the way they have to be defined. Business should be about making a profit, but it should also be about making a profit while doing something that is profitable to people. In other words the work that is doing is a help to people, it is for the good of people, and by doing it money is made.
But that doesn’t mean you run a business like you would run a ministry, nor would you run a ministry as if it were a business.
The point is that when God’s glory and people are the most important thing and not the profit then even working for a profit changes into something God glorifying and not just a way to pay the bills.
I didn’t watch the full video (28 minutes?) so I’m not to qualified to comment aside from saying that he is right in that Christians should be making media that is God glorifying, Christ exalting, and truth upholding (my words, not exactly his) and they should be making it well. Not to compete with Disney but because we are created in God’s image with the ability to be creative and we should be using these abilities to teach, exhort, uplift, and help.
@Danny - when you say “Business should be about making a profit, but it should also be about making a profit while doing something that is profitable to people” I agree with you in the sense that “profitable to people” refers to providing a product or service that people need or want. The heart of business is about finding a need and filling it. When you do that correctly, you’ll naturally make a profit.
If you’re referring to a business providing spiritual profitability, I think that’s completely different. While it’s definitely possible to have a business that is all those things (christian book publishing comes to mind), I don’t think it’s a requirement or common among christian business owners. My christian gardener makes me feel good because my lawn looks better, but does little for my spiritual well-being.
In Phil’s case, I just don’t think he should worry about competing with the likes of Disney.
ed - sorry I wasn’t more clear about that, I wasn’t talking about spiritual profitability. As a matter of fact I think that people who try to make money by helping someone spiritually (here I walk a fine line because I’m paid by churches) have something mixed up in their understanding of ministry. A workman is worthy of his wages but a minister doesn’t serve because of the pay. Just like a gardener doesn’t landscape only because he likes things in order.
I’m still working out how to mix business savvy with ministry (and vice versa) because it seems like the two don’t jive. You can’t run a church like a business and you can’t run a business like a church and yet the two overlap because we are in both at the same and we are to do all for God’s glory. I’m looking forward to your thoughts on business and ministry.
Hi, I am a mom of eight, have been watching Veggies for over 9 years and am always looking for good entertainment for my children. When people complained that the Veggies didn’t say Jesus enough I reminded myself that this is not a substitute for parents teaching/training their children, it is for entertainment. I am happy for Sunday morning values and Saturday morning fun. I know this is not the motto for Jelly Telly but my one concern is that my kids wouldn’t watch the shows I just saw. They are definitly not Saturday morning fun. And I make my kids sit through some boring old stuff because the message is so good.
I am a huge fan of Jim Henson and muppets, I love the puppet plays at our church. I just don’t think my children will be engaged enough to watch this. I couldn’t even pay attention to the guy telling the story about the boy and the cement.
I agree that Christian stuff is behind the time. I still can’t purchase some Christian materials on DVD. However, the puppets and the guys singing seems to be going back, doesn’t it???
I would be happy as a parent to pay for something like this, I just don’t think my children would be interested….I would like to see more. And as far as making money off of this, I pray the Lord bless you abundantly. You have surely sewn seed into our lives. Thanks.
Jeri, you make a good point about the impact/stickiness of the sample videos. I think Veggie Tales was unusually contemporary for its time (3D animation wasn’t as pervasive then).
In any medium, the best creators/producers aren’t cheap. All the more reason to consider the ministry vs business question.
Ed- in your post you say “I personally don’t feel a new, focused endeavor by a believer can be both.”
Yet would not, as you also mentioned, Christian book publishing fall under “both”?
I still have some pondering and organizing of thoughts to do on this one. Look to hear from me again.
Dan, I would say a Christian publisher (or perhaps a music label) would be about as close as you could get. But, I still think one has to take precedence and be the focus.
For example, take a look at two Christian book publishers: Crossway and Zondervan.
Crossway (who publishes the ESV Bible, John Piper, and other books) is actually a non-profit organization. They make it very clear on their about page that they solely exist as a ministry.
Zondervan (publishers of the NIV Bible, Rick Warren, Rob Bell, etc.) calls themselves a “company with a heart for helping people find and follow Jesus Christ”. They are also a subsidiary of a larger, secular publisher (HarperCollins). While ministry is part of their makeup, they are still a company with a bottom line that must answer to a board of directors.
I’m not implying that either of these companies has a bad approach. Simply that Crossway’s priority is “what ministers?” while Zondervan’s is most likely “what sells?”