Ratings for Big Brother pretty much got off to a slow start when the show returned for a 15th season at the beginning of the summer.
But the buzz about the racism displayed by some of the contestants on the program has seem to kick-start the program. Last Sunday Big Brother set a season high in viewership in the 18-49 age category. TV by the Numbers reports the show scored a 2.5 rating in the all important young demographics.
iVillage wonders why Aaryn Gries who is at the center of all the controversy hasn’t yet been voted off Big Brother. Could there be a connection between the controversy she generates, the ratings that followed and her still being on the show?
Wrote Jennifer Graham Kizer “For viewers, underlying the action is the ever-present hope that the racists and homophobes will get what’s coming to them. And Big Brother no doubt wants to prolong that tension for as long as possible.”
Ironically, the producers of Big Brother in past seasons have made it a point to hide the racism, homophobia and sexism contestants might foster. The argument was, according to The Independent is that the show didn’t want to put hateful things out there.
But when viewers caught a glimpse of it on a live web feed of the Big Brother house, that set off a firestorm that the producers haven’t been able to control.
Now they’re finding this drama is turning into ratings gold.
What do you think? Should the producers be playing up the racism on the program or should they have swept it under the rug? Is it educational to see the racism on the program?
Let AsAmNews know what you think below.
