Posted: Mon., Jul. 3, 2006, 4:49am PT
'Big Brother' under fire down under
Oz politicians demand show is killed off
By PAUL CHAI
SYDNEY — For the second year running Channel Ten's and Endemol Southern Star's "Big Brother" has become a political football with conservative politicians baying for its blood after two male housemates, Ashley and John, were evicted from the show for alleged sexual harassment.
The incident, which did not air on the show but was seen via the Internet feeds, was referred to police who have decided not to follow it up. The female housemate, Camilla, who was involved in the incident has requested that no action be taken.
Network Ten and Endemol Southern Star issued a statement saying they took the incident seriously but reaf-firmed their commitment to the reality skein. "Ash and John were evicted because they broke the rules of housemate conduct. 'Big Brother' is very popular, as evidenced by the strong and broad audiences it draws every night of the week, and will remain on air."
But the new allegations have sent Oz's politicians into a spin with the opposition leader Kim Beazley calling for Ten to "make this 'Big Brother' the last" and Conservative member of parliament Steve Fielding suggesting the show be "evicted".
Politicians on both sides of parliament have also asked watchdog the Australian Communications and Media Authority to investigate.
The late night adults-only version of the show — which was subject to controversy last year when a male housemate exposed his genitals to a female housemate — was axed last month after complaints from Conservative M.P.s.
Ten was in Canberra to discuss changes to the media ownership laws with politicians and the skein was used as leverage when they were told in no uncertain terms by National Party senator Barnaby Joyce that they were "doing themselves no favors arguing for reforms while 'Big Brother' was still on the air."
Prime Minister John Howard also waded in to the debate.
"The business community is always saying to me: 'Let us self-regulate,' " he said. "Well here's a great opportunity for Channel Ten to do a bit of self-regulation and get this stupid program off the air."
But as for the main program Ten will likely resist calls for its demise with the brouhaha doing little harm to auds as the Sunday night edition, which dealt with the incident, drawing an aud of 1.5 million.
Read the full article at:
http://www.variety.com/story.asp?l=story&a=VR1117946230&c=14
