[Sam]

I agree Amy completely

[spacebandit]

Originally posted by Sunny_01
I think it is also important to remember that they can not just pull the plug on the spot - they will have to get court orders to do so, which can take time when you consider that Endemol would appeal etc...

Actually no,
if the police went to OFCOM claiming a breach of criminal law, OFCOM have the power to order C4 to pull the plug on the show there and then.

If C4 refused all OFCOM would have to do is call an "Extra-ordinary general meeting", and with a majority of board votes, which they would probably get, suspend C4's license to broadcast - taking the channel off the air.

With an appeal to the culture secretary, who would never over-rule OFCOM in this case, either C4 would go off air in about 7 days or BB would be pulled.

Which do you think is more likely to go off air ?

[Red Moon]

Anger over 'waste' of police squad monitoring Big Brother

Plans by police to assign a dedicated squad to monitor reality show Big Brother have been condemned as a "ridiculous" waste of money and manpower.

A squad of police officers from Hertfordshire Police - whose area takes in the BB house in Elstree - will be based on site to clampdown on any racism, bullying, or violence.

The force, which has spent £350,000 investigating BB complaints in the past six years, can arrest contestants and even shut down the live output from the show.

But critics, appalled at the £14,500 cost of the Shilpa Shetty racism probe, which resulted in no convictions, are angry that taxpayers will have to pay the cost.

Ian Laidlaw-Dickson, Herts Council leader and chair of Herts Police Authority, said: "I take a very dim view of the public paying for an issue which is not their responsibility."

"It's outrageous that anyone should have to pick up the cost for this mess except those who caused it - Endemol and C4."

Councillor Mary Bayes added: "This is ridculous and wrong. Police resources are stretched enough.

"Taxpayers shouldn't be footing the bill for investigations caused by C4's incompetence."

Police decided to come down on the C4 show after it was revealed the Shilpa investigation in January was impeded by Celebrity Big Brother producers who refused to hand over unedited tapes.

According to The Mirror, a source said: The tapes could have made a stronger case against some of the people making behind the insulting remarks.

"As a result no charges were brought. Now it has been decided that nothing more like that will be tolerated - any hint and we will take action."

"We won't rely just on watching selected footage. We're determined to apprehend any person who risks stirring up racial hatred or makes offensive remarks."

In the run-up to the latest series, officers have been included in daily briefings detailing how housemates will be monitored. And the Commission for Racial Equality have been brough in to work with police to pass on complaints from the public.

Channel 4 has been embroiled in a long-running scandal over its mishandling of the Shilpa Shetty race row and phone voting blunders in January's Celebrity Big Brother.

As a result, Big Brother 8 will start this week complete with three grovelling on-air apologies ordered by TV watchdogs over the Celebrity Big Brother race row.

Bosses are reported to have made housemates sign a contract promising not to use racist, sexist, homphobic or bullying behaviour in the newly designed house.

TV watchdog Ofcom slammed the controversial broadcaster for "serious errors of judgment" in its handling of the bullying of Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty during Celebrity BB.

Also, in the wake of Channel's Richard and Judy voting scandal, the cost of eviction votes for Big Brother 8 have been halved to 25p and Channel 4 has completely axed text votes, insisting the company will not be making any profit from the show.

The 25p charge will cover all the costs to Channel 4 of administering the eviction votes and includes a 10p donation to charity for each vote cast.

The broadcaster Channel 4 - facing a major fine over claims it ripped off viewers with calls to the You Say, We Pay quiz on Richard and Judy - had feared another phone-in scandal.

Channel 4's managing director of new media, Andy Taylor said: "The voting has been fair and transparent throughout Big Brother's eight years on air, but given the recent focus on the use of premium rate phone lines on TV we want to ensure the audience has absolute confidence in the evictions, which are absolutely integral to the show's success."

The new 25p charge applies to calls from BT lines, calls from other fixed networks and mobile networks may vary at the operators' discretion.

Big Brother's voting process will be monitored by an external law firm.

Source: Daily Mail

[James_15]

It won't be like BB4. It doesnt mean there wont be arguments really..