I saw this story earlier about a group calling for a boycott.
Quote:
2009-01-12 19:00
Big Brother boycott urged
Consumer group angered as blind person sent into the house
(ANSA) - Rome, January 12 - Consumer group Codacons on Monday urged viewers to boycott Italy's version of reality show Big Brother after learning that a blind person, a gypsy and an airline hostess on a temporary work contract will be among contestants.
Codacons president Carlo Rienzi called on viewers to watch something else as a protest against the show, which he said ''year after year is in dangerously bad taste and seeks out extreme situations with the only aim of maintaining its audience at any price''.
''It's absurd to use issues like disability, illegal immigration and temporary work contracts just to increase viewing figures,'' he said.
''Slamming a blind person in front of cameras on a programme like 'Grande Fratello' is certainly not going to resolve blind peoples' problems,'' he added.
Luca Borgomeo, president of a Catholic television viewers association, also condemned producers' decision to send a blind person into the house and said his organisation would publish a list of companies who advertise during the breaks in the programme on its website.
Along with immigration issues, Italy's so-called 'precari', or people with temporary work contracts, are a hot political topic.
According to national statistics bureau Istat, several million Italians are employed on the contracts, which give them little or no job protection or benefits.
Italy's ninth series of the hit show is due to debut on Canale 5 on Monday evening.
Last year a blind contestant was the runner-up in the United Kingdom edition of Big Brother.
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http://www.ansa.it/site/notizie/awnp...112333954.html