Comments on: Free Speech and Big Brother

By: Legal Eagle

Legal Eagle — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 00:30:49 +0000

Thanks, missv - I should have mentioned that the conduct was only streamed on the Internet - that is why I think that the incident which happened last year was worse.

In researching this post, I came across a number of Big Brother obsessed sites where people evidently watched on the Net all the time. This is where I read an account of exactly what happened (I didn’t know what “turkey-slapping” was before then). Obviously there is a demand out there for this stuff!

As many of the comments have pointed out, at least there has been considerable debate on the rights and wrongs of such conduct as a result of the furore.

By: missv

missv — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 23:15:10 +0000

Also, remember that this year’s ‘incident’ was never actually shown on TV - only streamed live over the internet.

By: cherry ripe

cherry ripe — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 23:15:10 +0000

On the matter of ratings, the networks don’t just look at ratings - they look at cost vs ratings. Hence the proliferation of reality TV - no need to pay actors, scriptwriters, cinematographers, special locations etc etc. With that kind of budget you make a profit even with very low ratings - far more than with scripted dramas.

It’s funny - people are always talking about wanting to see Australian culture on the TV, and thus mourning the lack of good TV drama. However there’s little doubt that reality TV does exactly that!

I tend to be from the school of thought that says that it’s actually kind of okay to have this stuff on telly - at least it exposes (so to speak) the conduct that we’ve seen in the last week. Everyone’s talking about whether it was inappropriate conduct, whether a sexually offensive act is criminal harassment, and what the role of the men and women in this situation was.

It’s brilliant, in an ugly sort of way. And those of us who live professional educated lives - and who profess to have many highly academic thoughts about sexual relations and ethics - may learn something about those who just do it.

I’m not saying it’s right; I’m just saying it’s been an interesting time for debate on sexual relations, consent, bad taste and assault.

By: missv

missv — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 02:53:18 +0000

Big Brother is lazy and mercenary programming. I prefer ‘quality’ TV. However, I have to admit that I find watching the psychology of the relationships in the house fascinating (in a guilty pleasure kind of way).

There is an interesting article in today’s Age about the different ways ‘the incident’ can be viewed:

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/07/05/1151778943115.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 00:55:07 +0000

It’s that old adage about bad taste versus evil. “Big Brother” is decidedly in bad taste, so I exercise my right not to watch it. To not have that right is censorship, and once you lose the right to choose, what’s next? More disturbing is how shows like “Big Brother” are justified as fulfilling a TV station’s Australian content requirements. What happened to real Australian shows like “Wildside” and “Phoenix”?