Big Bother
TV has always been a funny creature. Last night, after watching “The Einstein Factor” on the ABC I was surprised to see John Howard appear holding Big Ted. He was there to congratulate Play School on 40 years (I think it was 40 years?) on television.
Today he is again in the spotlight with some commentary on television, in short: ban Big Brother. And guess what? Kim Beazley said the same thing too. And various family groups… and so on and so forth.
I would repeat the same mantra, not because of anything that has happened recently (I much less care frankly), but because it diverts resources from quality programming.
The problem is that when Channel Ten bought Big Brother, they invested in a money making machine. There are more income streams involved in this ‘event’ than anything else on television. There are lucrative deals with theme parks, telephone providers, food and beverage producers… expensive hotlines and SMS services for punters to use. It was the original idiot proof (as long as you don’t get sued too often) get rich quick scheme. And (amongst other things) it gave Gretel Killeen a paying job.
Had it failed to produce any returns in the first year, that would’ve been the end of it. Gretel would’ve gone back to doing stand up comedy in the far reaches of Perth, possibly never to be heard from again. The problem is it didn’t fail. Now whether you’re going to chalk up its commercial success to ‘novelty’ or ‘voyeurism’ or anything else, it made money and has continued to so for many years. (Way after the novelty wore off). If there were more people who were truly profoundly offended, it would’ve died already. [Or I guess, conversely, the controversy would've pulled even more viewers...] If viewers suddenly dislike the program, they have no one to blame but themselves and each other.
Ban Big Brother? What will they say next – be nice to contestants on Australian Idol?
Really if Channel ten does destroy the show and the station goes down financially, I think it is just karma biting them in the arse for being so unkind to Bert and Moira.
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