OFCOM back Big Brother - why can't C4!

[Brekkie]

As I posted a few months back in relation to Celeb BB Channel 4 have little reason to be worried about OFCOM and the complaints BIg Brother often attracts - as usually they are rejected. And once again, OFCOM have seen common sense, throwing out nearly 5000 complaints about "bullying" in BB9:

C4 cleared over Big Brother bullying row

...

Ofcom has cleared Channel 4 over how it dealt with bullying allegations made during the last series of Big Brother, despite receiving nearly 5,000 complaints about the reality show.

Audiences said that Channel 4 had not done enough to break up "bullying, aggression and intimidating behaviour by the housemates" and that, by implication, the broadcaster was giving its tacit endorsement.

However Ofcom acknowledged that, as a reality series, Big Brother will "inevitably" offend some people.

"[It] is the type of programme in which controversial matters will inevitably be raised and emotional and offensive exchanges occur, as the characters of the participants are revealed. Given this, what is broadcast may contain language and behaviour which is capable of causing offense to viewers."

The regulator said the key was how the broadcaster challenged offensive behaviour, but said Channel 4 had put measures in place to limit bullying and had taken action when housemates' behaviour crossed the line.

The broadcaster issued "a number of warnings and reprimands"; removed two housemates and, on one occasion, "segregated" housemates into different rooms" because of bullying behaviour.

Some 4,724 viewers complained to Ofcom about the series, centring on nine separate instances of alleged bullying.

These include housemate Alexandra De-Gale calling Rebecca 'Bex' Shiner a "dickhead and a prick" because of the way she had cooked some chips, Dennis allegedly spitting in Mo's face, and Alex's alleged bullying of Mo over wearing a woman's outfit.

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/2009/04/ofcom_clears_c4_over_big_brother_bullying_row.html

117 complaints about vote rigging were also firmly rejected.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/bigbrother/a154064/ofcom-dismisses-alex-bullying-complaints.html


See, everyone else has moved on from the race row and can judge any case in isolation. Just a shame C4 - the people who matter most - are still holding Big Brother to ransom over it.

[bbnut]

To be honest I've always felt that if BB steps in the moment one HM calls another HM a d*ckhead then we are defeating the point of a social experiment. (Not that BB is a social experiment anymore)

But in the real world adults have to deal with their problems and can't go running to BB. There is a line, of course, where BB has to step in and I think that they handled BB9 appropriately. Bullying happens, it shouldn't but it does. One of the points of BB is to see what people do in different situations, whether they are good or bad. I just don't understand why people go running to OFCOM when they see something they don't like. Surely if the bullying was so bad the HM in questio would either go to BB to talk about it, or leave.

I agree though, C4 really need to let go after CBB5 and BB9 or we'll end up with another BB8. BB is about controversy and to a point, so is C4. I think this is one of the biggest reasons that we have lost live feed. If it was truely about money then why are C4 producing special anniversary shows and paying who knows what for the new house? Sorry to go back on to the whole live feed issue, but I think these complaints are the reason it's been axed.

Sory, rant over.

[James]

Originally posted by Brekkie
As I posted a few months back in relation to Celeb BB Channel 4 have little reason to be worried about OFCOM and the complaints BIg Brother often attracts - as usually they are rejected. And once again, OFCOM have seen common sense, throwing out nearly 5000 complaints about "bullying" in BB9:


They took their time though, that was nearly a year ago.

It's still embarrasing for Channel 4 when the show is on, even if the complaints are ultimately rejected.

[Alec]

I think its great Ofcom are rejecting them..!!

To me, people who complain are such wimps... Big Brother is suppose to be a social experiment (ooh wait.. at least it was!)

[*mazedsalv**]

Well done Ofcom, now we need C4 to actually care about the show now. Everything would have been good for BB10 if C4 was treating it well and had live feed.