Big Brother Reality TV show, the metamorphosis

Karen Igho, recent BBA winner

Prize novelist, George Orwell did not only give the world Animal Farm, his monstrously popular satire on the then Communist Russia. Through his novel titled, Nineteen Eighty-Four, the ace writer sowed the seeds of the Reality Television genre, which features ordinary people in place of professional actors.

In the novel, Orwell depicted a world in which two-way television screens are fitted in every room, so that people's actions are monitored at all times by the all-seeing authority figure (Big Brother) and that inspired the name of the pioneering Reality Television series, Big Brother Africa.

Traditionally, participants of the Reality TV series are confined inside a specially designed house where every single point is within view of a video camera. They are not permitted any contact with the outside world. All they do, while in the house (which lasts for between 11 weeks and 365 days) will be aired on television.

Skills have nothing to do with who wins or lose on the show. What is most important is appealing to others and handling the dynamics of a group well.

Even though it evoked mixed feelings, the Reality TV genre, especially the Big Brother series, was viewed in 70 different countries- providing excitement for television buffs who were bored with scripted productions.

The African continent is not left out of the fray. The Netherlands based production outfit, Endemol introduced the Big Brother series to Africa via South Africa, where it first held provincially.

Aired by M-net in the African region, the success of the Big Brother series in South Africa inspired a Pan-African edition tagged, Big Brother Africa, which featured participants from Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  

The reality show, which offered a staggering cash prize of USD$100, 000 brought together 12 housemates from 12 African countries - and was seen on DStv in 42 African countries.

Uti Nwachukwu

In spite of its success, Big Brother Africa, which was voted the best International format at the 43rd Monte Carlo Television Festival was trailed by pockets of controversy on the continent, over what is termed obscenities.

Big Brother Africa, The Controversies 
 Across the continent, the format of the Big Brother Africa series which made its debut on air in May 2003, cam under attack from puritans, scholars, politicians and religious sects.

For instance, Malawi's parliament it banned Big Brother Africa from the state owned TV network for immorality (Uganda’s Uganda's Gaetano Kagwa and South Africa’s Abby Plaatjes had sex on camera. Also, the shower session of housemates was aired).

However, a Malawi High Court later declared that the country's parliament overstepped its powers when it banned the Reality TV series from the being aired on the local free-to-air television.
 
Perhaps for the same reason, Namibia’s president also requested that the Big Brother Africa series be pulled off air, a request ignored by Namibians, who followed the show in huge numbers until it wound up on satellite television.

Similarly in Uganda, the home country of Gaetano, religious leaders vilified him and social conservatives were up in arms against him. But to the chagrin of all, the Ugandan returned home only to receive a superstar treatment, even after losing out on the grand prize.

Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka lent his voice to the anti-Big Brother Africa crusade. He opined that it is a wanton celebration of banality, immorality. According to him, an idle one or two hours spent viewing the most atrocious Nigerian home video is more valuable than a minute of the moral corruption called Big Brother Africa.

Soyinka’s comment boosted the camp of anti- Big Brother Africa campaigners on the African continent, especially Nigeria where the reality show enjoyed great following.

Following the acerbic continental criticisms which trailed it, the Pan-African edition of the show did not return the year after. M-net replaced it with Project Fame, a Reality TV talent hunt genre, which featured musically gifted Africans drawn from countries that include Nigeria.

Filling the vacuum
With M-net’s announcement that Big Brother Africa will not hold after its sucessful but controversial outing in 2003, production outfits on the local scene made moves to meet the viewing needs of Reality TV buffs in the country, leading to the emergence of reality shows such as Gulder Ultimate Search, House 3, Amstel Malta BoxOffice and lately, the Intern Reality TV Show, which enjoy high profile corporate sponsorships.

Beaming a different niche respectively, these reality shows enjoyed great followership and little or no criticism on the local scene.

For instance, the Gulder Ultimate Search which boasts of two well accepted editions and N5million as grand prize, was sponsored by Nigeria Breweries Plc, the corporate organization behind equally successful Amstel Malta Box Office.    

Gulder Ultimate Search differs in that its competition takes place under the elements, not within a house and more closely resembled an adventurous athletic competition. However, it still possessed its fair share of the drama and gimmickry associated with reality game shows.

On the other hand, Amstel Malta Box Office was initiated to help discover talents for the burgeoning movie industry otherwise called Nollywood. Contestants also lived together in one house, trying to capture the viewer's heart with their yet-to-be exploited talent in acting, as they vie for the sum of N2.5 million naira and an automatic role in a movie to be produced by Amstel Malta, a brand of Nigerian Breweries Plc.   

Refreshingly different is the highbrow niche of yet to debut Intern Reality TV show, which targets graduates between the ages of 18 to 30. Other requirements for being part of the show which will kick off Friday, June 9, 2006, include minimum of two years working experience, proficient use of computer and a non-refundable registration fee of N3, 000.

Initiated by Surich Media, Intern Reality Show however promises participants and eventual grand prize winner employment in one of the leading corporate organizations in the country. 

Big Brother returns
It did not come as a surprise that the dramatic and controversial Big Brother reality show, a global brand returned to Africa for a Nigerian version, which kicked off in last March, since the Pan-African edition of the reality was reputed to have broken all existing Television viewing in Africa.

The Nigeria version, which will come to an end on Sunday, June 4, 2006, seems to have fared better  than the 2003 Pan-African edition. In no small measure, this can be attributed to the moderation exhibited by participants, as far as sex is concerned. There has been no explicit sexual activity on the show.

Launched in 1999, the Big Brother reality show, which boasts of over 100 different series produced across the globe, tolerates sex live under the glare of the camera, as practised by Gaetano and Abby in the Big Brother Africa House in South Africa.

Similarly, Zimbabwe’s Makosi Musambasi made dubious history when she became the first person to have sex on live British TV, when she got hot and heavy with another housemate, while in the British Big Brother House. Her action led to public outcry against her person among conservative in Britain.

However, participants in the Big Brother Nigeria House (in spite of romantic affiliations) did not put up a live sex show for the viewing audience. The Nigerian edition of the Big Brother reality sponsored by organizations that include Guiness, Coca-Cola, UBA Plc, Netcom, M-web, Close-up and Mikano may have been produced with respect for the local mores, which frowns at making sex a public affair.