My Thoughts On Big Brother

Now I have just watched the "incident", I just wanted to post my thoughts about this. If you do not know the full story, or even the incident I am referring too, you can find it here, or here. The full transcript is here. Basically, Emily has been evicted from the Big Brother house becuase she said the 'racially offensive' word: n*gger. (I have stared this becuase some people may find this word offensive).
Firstly, let me tell you where I stand. A lot of people would probbaly tell you that I like Big Brother, and they would be right. I usually watch the live laucnch show, vote a couple of times for people I want to win (not usually vote to evict someone), and watch the end show where the winner is annouced. (Last year I voted for Pete a lot). I am not a big fan of the Celebrity Big Brother, mainly becuase I usually don't know the celebrities, and so I don't watch it. This means that I have not watched the first racist incident, concerning Shilpa Shetty, but I have heard about and do know the story, via website news pages. However, when I heard yesterday from digital spy (I have subscribed to all of their feeds, so get news very fast - they are always good at getting the news beofre anyone else), that emily had been evicted I immediatly abondoned my revison (LOL) and found the story. At the time I had not formed an opinion on the inicident, until when I begam discussing the incident with my friend Celestianpower. (Code name not real name, to hide his idenity in case he doesn't want to be on teh internet, which I suspect). However, waking up this morning to breakfats tv - GMTV and the BBC's Breakfast, - as well as watching the repeat of last nights' Big Brother and Big brother's little brother before it, I now want to post about where I stand.

The incident happened when Charley, Emily and Nicky were in the garden at the smoking place, and the three of them were discussing dancing. (Digital spy's transcript reports it as "Emily: (referring to Charley dancing/pushing her hips forward)). Emily then said: "You pushing it out you n*gger". (I have again stared this out, but the BBC have not on their website, so perhaps the word in writing is not as offensive as saying it - I shall disucss this later.) After this comment, Charley (at whom the comment was directed), and Nicky reacted with shock, and nervous laughter. Charley then said: "No way. (Pause) Yeah, me. I'm a nigger". Emily apologised for her comment, saying it was "careless", and had/has said many times that she did not mean the comment to be offensive -"it was a joke" e.t.c.
Later, at about half three i nthe mornign I believe, Big Brother called Emily to the diary room, explained about the comment and the implciations, and proceded to remove her from the house.

Now, there are several issues arrising here. Obviosuly there will be a discussion about whether it was right to remove Emily from the house, especially after she said she didn't mean it as an insult. But there are also other points to raise. As the BBC so rightly writes: "Ms Jain said that the decision had been taken [to remove Emily] in the wake of the alleged racist bullying of Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty on Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year". Channel 4 have already been in hot water about a racism row. they have to tread carefully. Of course, they had the option not to broadcast the incident, but it seems they have not. This raises many issues:

1. Should Channel 4 have broadcast the incident at all?
2. Should the word have been filtered out, but still broadcast?
3. Should Emily have been evicted, or just have had a severe punishment (but still remain in the house)?
4. Should Channel 4 have learnt their lesson from last time?
5. Will Channel 4 get into more trouble, i.e. another review and an on screen apology
6. Would the incident have been treated so directly if the Shilpa Shetty incident hadn't occured?
7. Would the incident have been treated so directly if the Shilpa Shetty incident had been treated differently?
8. (And most importnalty in my eyes) Should it just have been Emily who was evicted (more on this in a minute).

The problem is that Big Brother is the kind of show that is going to attract media attention no matter what happens on it, who says what and what kind of controversy it creates. News websites have entire sections and webpages, live feeds, breaking stories, front page pictures, live updates, and all manner of ways of recieveing the gossip from the Big brother house. If nothing happens in the house, the media have to create some way of getting people to buy the paper i.e. by finding/making a story that people will want to read. If an incident occurs that may spark headlines and national discussion, then the media are going to want to report it. They will probably blow it up to make the story bigger and more exciting, which will attract more readers/viewers, and so make more money for the company. After all, the media, in my opinion
'exists to sell itself', not to "just report the news, as it happens." The media makes the news, not finds it. Now, this ramble does have some point to my thoughts on BB, even if I am digressing slighlty, as it puts into context the modern media.

I am now going to give my opinion on the numbered points rasies above.

//soon.