Lauren Barton 18:40, 19 Oct 2004 (EST)
http://bigbrother.ten.com.au/holding_post/navs/bigbrother.gif
Big Brother has been broadcast the world over, in many countries including Australia, sharing with viewers season after season of reality TV drama, romance and the like. It is an important form of interactive television, in the way it engages its audiences to 'vote off' their least favourite housemate via SMS text messaging, internet use and telephone calls. This use of interactivity is not limited to the Australian version, which recently finished airing its fourth season, the winner taking home a prize of $1 million. Many other series' of the show around the world (including America and the United Kingdom) have incorporated this form of interaction into the workings of the program. The contestants may be different, the level of talent may be different, but there is no real difference in the way the votes are cast nor interactive nature of this reality television show.
The winner of Big Brother Australia, 2004, was a man named Trevor, who, upon winning his $1 million prize, proposed to his girlfriend. The focus was not, however, mainly on this winner, but on the runner up, a girl named Bree, who, by fault of Legion Interactive, employed to tally the votes, was evicted from the house, only to be re-entered, after the tally was found to be wrong. This is a prime example of how the interactive element used in reality TV can go awry. A show which is going to use phone, SMS and internet votes in order to determine its outcome needs to make sure that the logistics are carried out correctly, in order to avoid mistakes, such as this one, being made. This example, however, explains how Big Brother uses an interactive element to engage its audience.
The ITV Business index defines interactive television as “providing richer entertainment, interaction and more information pertaining to the shows, props and people involved in its creation. In a sense, it combines traditional TV viewing with the interactivity enjoyed by those communicating through a network, such as the internet�. This statement sums up the main reason reality TV shows such as Big Brother are so popular. Despite such a gigantic mistake being made, Australian Big Brother, and Bree herself, enjoyed incredible amounts of viewer attention, and as a result, increased ratings for the show and the ten network Australia.
Mark Andrejevic, in his article specifically written on the interactive elements of Big Brother and other similar reality television shows, contends that there is a relinquishment of control (over what they watch, thus influencing ratings) to viewers as a result of the interactive component of such programs (2002, p.251). This solidifies the notion that interactive television, although still in its beginning stages, is a powerful tool in the television world, and enables the viewer to have more control then ever over their viewing experience.
Other Related Topics: Personal Video Recorders (PVR), TiVo, Idol, Reality TV and its use of SMS, Reality TV and its use of the Internet, Foxtel Digital, Internet TV, Mobile Video Phones, Daily Broadcasting
Lauren Barton 16:01, 24 Oct 2004 (EST)
References
Lauren Barton 13:45, 28 Oct 2004 (EST)
