Big Brother’s death is media reality

In today's Guardian, Mark Lawson sounds the death knell for Big Brother. He argues the genre died with Jade Goody – and that this year’s disappointing ratings could kill the show for good.

There are a number of reasons for the genre’s implosion (read: it’s really, really boring). What’s interesting, however, is the media’s role in Big Brother’s demise. As Lawson points out, the show’s erstwhile promoters (the redtops and the likes of Heat) have barely touched this year’s in-house shenanigans.

Adding fuel to this argument is former Heat editor Mark Frith. In a recent interview, he even cited Big Brother’s decline as a reason for his departure:

“I certainly felt I left at the right point… I feel that we were never going to sell any more copies than we were at that point. I’d gone off Big Brother, I was Big Brother’s number one fan and even I’d stopped watching it and that’s a huge part of our year.”

Assuming their prediction is correct, what will this mean for celebrity media – and the mainstream media by association? At a time when journalists are stretched and celebrities are so strictly PR-controlled, what will take its place?

If other reality formats (X Factor, etc.) go a similar way, the media will be bereft of ready-made and easy-to-report celebrity. There are only so many staged ‘paparazzi’ shots and ‘source-close-to-the-star’ fabrication that readers can take.

So unless Britney goes bonkers every year, it’ll be interesting to see what fills the void.

Comments

[Suzy]

Having seen the media circus around the corner for Amy Winehouse's trial, I'd say the answers are already emerging...we don't need reality TV meltdowns, we've already got real life celeb meltdowns to watch.

[Tim Bond]

I can't deny it, I am glad to see the demise of Big Brother and the type of 'celebrity' it endorses. However, I agree it will leave a void that must be filled in the redtops and the like minded mags.

At the end of the day, the redtops and others will always have their stories, as there is a certain type of celebrity that needs the coverage to remain alive in the public's eyes.

The challenge will be to get these stories about celebrities that cultivate a personal life and are very strict and litigious about not having that invaded.

Interesting times ahead though, for sure.