In My Opinion
05/08/00
Are Channel 4 capable of manipulating the viewers?
Since starting my website, I've been taking a regular look at the main Big Brother site, plus Channel 4 chat and a BB newsgroup.
On a couple of the sites last night, people were showing concern about Channel 4 trying to manipulate the TV viewers opinions on what different characters are like. I can do nothing but agree with them.
The TV show bears no resemblence to what viewers of the webcasts can see and hear (when they can hear it!). It appears that C4 is showing favouritism towards some characters. An example of this, was the pre-show advert. I viewed it at 6:30pm last night. To my surprise, it showed Andy as a fun-loving, easy-going romantic and Caroline as a screaming, argumentative bitch.
I wonder if C4 thought that by showing her bad side, it would influence the vote towards Andy. I wonder if that's why they never disclosed how the voting was going this week, unlike last. This would then keep people ringing in right to the end of the voting period. Obviously, if the percentage vote had been shown, people wouldn't have bothered to ring in. (Think of all those 10p's that would have gone begging!)
I also can't understand why C4 felt it was so important to air the set to between Craig and Caroline, but completely ignore the under-hand, late night tactical, spiteful discussions of Melanie, Andy, Tom and Nick. Come on C4, at least be honest with us and show us the fuller picture.
Has anybody noticed how many times faults are occurring in the webcast feeds late at night? Always during a crucial part of a discussion. It gives the impression that they don't want us to hear what is going on.
There was also a strange request made by BB last night. Nick was called to the Diary Room. He returned, and announced that 'Big Brother has requested that we don't discuss relationships until Monday'. Does this mean that they are trying to manipulate what the housemates can and can't talk about.
Finally, I am considering setting up a viewers opinion section on this site. If you have anything you want to say about the show, why not e-mail me with your comments, and I will place it on my site.
If you don't wish to have your e-mail address published, just let me know and I will leave it out.