An Analysis of a TV Format: Big Brother - Essay Example

? An Analysis of a TV Format: “Big Brother” s School “Internationalization is a key to the success of television formats.” – MichaelKeane (2008) Prior to analyzing a particular TV format, it is crucial to identify the definition of a format as different authors have addressed the topic differently. Also, the definition of a format has changed over the years, owing much to the profits attached with the formatting, copyrights issues and the enfranchising of these formats. Formats are mostly associated with the prime time reality TV content. According to Esser (2010), formatted content is now found among 33% of the broadcasted material of the prime time hours in the US alone. However, some of the authors confuse formatting with genres due to which it becomes important to draw distinctions between the two concepts. Esser (2010) associated the concept of a format with two aspects; the first one relates to the collectivity of the characteristics found in the program while the second one relates to the tradability factor which he deems as an important recipe of the format. Furthermore, Esser (2010) quotes that, “Formats are the concretization of an idea, sold in the form of a production bible, a compilation of production information, including technical requirements, lessons learned, a shooting schedule, crew list, budget sample, and anything else of value to the production team. Software for the graphics and videos from the original and local adaptations can complement the bible, together with scripts in the case of scripted formats. Moreover, where the rights have remained with the original licensor...” To produce a more clear understanding of the concept of a format, Keane (2008) has drawn a distinction between genres and formats. To create a further sense of division between the two concepts he has also utilized the concept of “engines” as a variable in determining the divergence points between the phenomena. According to his vision, format is a product of change both in the broadcast and the narrowcast. However, genre deals with the standardized content in coherence with the conventional narratives and forms. The difference between the two lies in the intensity and the nature of change that has occurred over time. For instance, when a genre like a sitcom is in need of a change, the most that can be done is the introduction of new character. However, a format is an evolutionary product with apparent changes in the mode, pattern, business models, marketing strategies and the like. The audience requires a stronger format which is in turn a product of various engines i.e. sources of innovation, which has the potential to mix and mash various genres together to create a new idea. Tradability of the concept is also one of the crucial elements of a format (Keane 2008). Enfranchisement of the concepts of these formats is the key to the popularity of these programs, also the diverging factor between genres and formats. A format has a legal copyright, and in order to replicate the format in another country the copyrights have to be purchased (Moran and Malbon 2006). A genre however doesn’t need a copyright to be replicated as the conventional pattern of a genre may be copied as such with a different concept. The concept of format however is also being evolved overtime with the changing interests of the audience and the globalization. The concept is being appraised and criticized by the scholarship worldwide at the same time. Big Brother. Survivors and Who Wants to be a Millionaire are the first ever formats that were conceived and were later traded in different countries all over the world (Keane 2008). Big Brother is the classic example of a format as it has gone through various stages which add value to the formatting of the program. In order to analyze the core components of this format, it is important to trace the history of the format, the international distribution format of this format, the engine for the format as change, the dramatic arc, various format points and the jeopardy moments pointed out during the course of the program. Analyzing the program right from the beginning, various patterns can be identified and by tracing these phases the components of a particular format can be picked out. Summarizing the theme of the program prior to analyzing various components attached with the formatting patterns will help us to understand the underlying social and culture perspectives of the TV show. The program is based on a reality television layout where the participants are fictional characters and apparently they exhibit the natural reactions to various situations. As a general pattern, there are twelve to fourteen contestants who participate in the show every season, and live together in the same house for three months in isolation. They have to qualify through various tasks and the general public votes for their favorite contestants. Based on this vote count, every Friday one of the contestants has to be eliminated and the one who`s left in the end wins a grand prize. This cash prize adds value to the format, which is also followed by other formats being predicated in other prime time reality shows as well (Kuntz 2010). The excitement level of the format is enhanced by live camera coverage of every single incident that takes place, and the show becomes heated up with a wild card entry or a furious argument between any of the participants over different issues. Historical Perspective Tracing the history of the format, the concept behind this program was conceived by John De Mol Produkties in a Dutch production House; however it was broadcasted for the first time in 1999 in Netherlands where it was a huge hit. Later when enfranchisement took place and the TV show was bought by various TV channels from all over the world, different countries adapted the show to suit the needs of their own cultures and environments. One thing however that was common in all the replicas of the format was the element of isolation and the installation of cameras to record every act of the participants (Jhonson-Woods 2002). Thus, this indicates that though the format is subject to change when adopted by various regions, but there is still an element of continuity when it comes to the main theme of the show. It also indicates several other aspects of the format; for instance though the taste of the audience differs from one region to another but the basic ideologies or understanding towards life remains the same. This is why the main theme was successful in almost all kinds of cultural settings. Another indication about the cognitive similarities between people from different settings related to the curiosity factor that predominates the thinking pattern of almost all humans. The success of the theme also lies in the unpredictable nature of the theme where the pattern of the reactions of different contestants is a fluctuating one, rather than being constant. Once it became successful in Netherlands, it was launched in 2000 in the U.S and in 2001 in the U.K. Later it was also conceived by different countries and different regions with little changes. The participants were initially called housemates in almost all countries; however in the US the participants were referred to as the houseguests. Now, these participants are being referred to as different names depending on the culture and language of the region where the show is being broadcasted. Originally the show was conceived to exhibit the lifestyles of ordinary people, but later many different aspects were added to arouse the interests of the viewers. For instance, with time live streaming became available for those who wanted to see live moments being broadcasted via internet. Berg and Tobin (2006) portrays this aspect by saying, “if Big Brother`s original conceit was to broadcast the mundane lives of a group of people in an isolated house, then live streaming is the ultimate manifestation of the idea.” Thus, this aspect reveals the importance of new tools being used by viewers to attain the entertainment. Every evening, a finished product is available online for the viewers to be seen. This aspect also conveys another angle of a format. A format, similar to that of the Big Brother requires a very efficient management, editing and marketing crew as the finished product should be produced on that very day. This historically analyzing the program, the theme has remained the same however other things have changed over time. International Distribution Keane (2008) refers distribution as the, “organized dispersal of programs licensed for broadcasting”. He further mentions that, “Formatting changes this cycle; now, the process is both reinforced and extended, as in the complex gears of a mountain bike, whereby each broadcast of a format adaptation in another territory or another time becomes part of a snowballing package that is the continuing object of distribution.” Thus, going by this explanation of Keane, international distribution not only relates to the sale of the concept in another region, in fact it also incorporates different patterns of continuity and change necessary to analyze the phenomenon. The re-adaption enriches the content keeping the cultural context of the region in mind, as the market value is the most important determinant of the success of the show. Speaking of Big Brother, the format has been adapted by many different regions and countries with a completely different aura of audience with a completely different taste. Different cultures have different standards and set norms, with certain values that are unacceptable in a culture. But with globalization and boom in technology, the norms are also being globalized and a wide range of public is now accepting these values. Big Brother has been adapted in almost every corner of the world. There are also many different pan-regional versions available which require the contestants to come from different countries. Some of these pan-regional versions are exhibited in Africa, Yugoslavia (former), Israel, and some Arab states, Pacific, Scandinavia and the UK. Big Brother has been very successful in Australia, and the European states. The show has also been broadcasted in the Asian states recently, even in states like India where the show is being aired by the name “Big Boss” instead, and has proved to be a huge success. The enfranchisement has reached even in the most farfetched lands including Albania, Philippines, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine and many other countries. (Jhonson-Woods 2002). Morat and Malbon (2006) have commented on the copyrights issues in this context. They have managed to explain that though the laws regarding copyrights differ in different states, but as a general pattern, when a format is created and broadcasted in a particular state (like US), the producer automatically gains copyrights and he doesn’t even has to register to attain these rights. But in some cases, the format is so vague that it becomes difficult to prove that the content is being copied. In case of the Big Brother, the format is clear with an apparent determination of characterization, theme, drama, production, direction and other elements that are very easy to be identified. Once a company has attained copyrights, it has the right to sell the license to another production company under the umbrella of the same concept. Engine Keane (2008) has defined engines as being “innovations in programming engineered by format devisors”. Big Brother has incorporated many such engines to stimulate the interest of the audiences. For instance the elimination process itself is an engine for innovation as it is too complex and interesting at the same time. The whole process of forming alliances with other participants to choose a captain and to vote out a particular person keeps the audience interested in the show. The whole concept of isolation for three months in itself is an engine for innovation, which makes it a distinct kind of a format. The participants aren`t allowed to interact with the world outside the house, not even their direct family members. There is no medium to communicate or to gain any kind of information about the outside world. Exposure to the lifestyles of the celebrity guests as participants in Big Boss is also an engine which arouses the interests of the audience. The audience knows their favorite celebrities in a certain way through the characters they play for media content or the roles they take for a certain position. Though, it is being criticized that interviews are a way to enrich the audience with the celebrities as real life characters. The same critiques regard shows like Big Boss as being too individualistic and ratings specific (Keane 2008). However, interviews don`t allow these celebrities to fully open up for the audience. When they live in isolation for three months, no matter how hard they try to fake themselves, their real self is somehow revealed. This aspect highlights the controversial side of the celebrities as well, which is the sole area of interest for the viewers. Moreover, the grand prize offered to the winner of the show is also an engine which adds value to the format. An exceptionally huge sum of money is offered to the winner, which increases the incentives of winning not only for the contestants but also for the audience, as the audience realizes that worth of winning the show. With time, the scope of these engines is being changed. Dramatic Arc Drama is an apparent part of the show which makes it interesting and adds value to the show. Drama can also be conceived as an engine for the particular format. Big Boss has been the most popular show for the controversies attached to it, as the celebrities` code of conduct often gives a dramatic arc to the format. Big Brother is an exceptional as personalities like well known politicians are also known to be part of the show. George Galloway, the Scottish PM has also participated in the show after his oil corruption scandal during the Iraqi war adding a controversial aspect to the show. Similarly, Mexico has also seen the participation of the whip for minority Green Party participating in the show. The Australian Big Brother is the least controversial of all the Big Brother formats broadcasted all over the world, yet it saw a controversy as a housemate had to foresee a court trial. (Berg and Tobin 2006). The show has even seen sex scandals, love affairs between housemates and last season aired in Indian Media by the name Big Boss, one of the housemates even got married to her boyfriend who was not a participant but after much controversies in the house, the decision to woe them was made. Big Brother often seek for participants with prior controversies to add drama to the show which helps in keeping the rating higher and the audience interested. The ratings are often the highest for the episode when the house turns into a war zone owning to the divergence in the views of the contestants. Thus, dramatic arc is the soul for the prime time formats like Big Brother. (Jhonson-Woods 2002). Format Points Thus the main format points can be identified on the basis of the commonality amongst all the Big Boss formats being aired worldwide. The element of isolation is the basic engine and the main theme behind the concept, thus this is one of the most significant format points which make this format distinct from all the other formats. The contestants are not allowed to see anyone other than the participants of the show; they are not allowed to communicate with the outside world via any kind of technological devices. This creates an interesting environment in the house as relationships build, alliances are made and stories emerge. The elimination part is also a format point as the contestants have to go through different tasks and audience has to decide which of the contestant isn`t fit enough for the show. Also, climax in the show is created by giving veto powers to certain members occasionally which gives a sudden turn to the show. The live cameras and streaming videos available online is a new and an innovative format point which is changing the scope of not just the format of Big Brother, in fact the scope for other formats as well in the competitive sphere for the search of market. (Steemers 2004). Jeopardy Moments Big Brother has seen many jeopardy moments which have been increasing covered by national and international media in the recent past. The most widely reported moment was the racism issue which emerged in the 2007 Big Boss being broadcasted in a British media network, when Jade Goody and Danielle Lloyd passed racist comments about the Indian actress Shilpa Shetty. (Steemers 2004). Moreover, the British Big Brother has a history of such jeopardy moments. For instance, In 2000 Nick Bateman was asked to leave the house on the accusation that he was trying to manipulate the voting behavior. Similarly, racist comments and slander have been huge issues in the past creating unpleasant environment in the house. US is no exception to the rule, and Big Brother broadcasted in the US is also full of such moments. In the eighth season, there was a huge issue when a contested targeted a fellow participant over religion using abusive language during the show. Similarly, the eleventh season is also full of controversies regarding race. Though Australian Big Brother is the least controversial one, but even several episodes in Australia too saw issues with slander and abusive language. The rest of the franchises follow the rule. Conclusion In a nutshell, Big Brother is the Classic example of a format as it has found to demonstrate all contents and components that are the significant properties of a format. This reality show is a perfect blend of a dramatic arc and the engine for innovation, which keeps the audience involved and interested. The most appealing characteristics of the format are the unpredictable nature of the reactions of contestants, the interaction between them and the formation of alliances between the members. However, Big Brother has left its impact on the reality TV for being the first of its kind to involve internet and live streaming as engines for audience interaction. Also, the tradability across continents even in the most diverse cultural lands depicts that human nature remain the same, though certain adaptive elements have to be incorporated. Therefore, Big Boss has succeeded to win the hearts and minds of not only the audience, but also of the critiques and other media professionals. References Moran, Albert (2006) Understanding the Global TV Format. Intellect. Chapters 9 and 10 on law and copyright. Esser, A. ‘Television formats: Primetime Staple, Global Market’, Popular Communication, 8: 273-292. Keane, M. and A. Moran (2008) ‘Television’s New Engines’, Television & New Media, 9(2): 155-169. Kuntz, W. M. (2010) ‘Prime-Time Island: Television Program and Format Importation into the United States’, Television & New Media, 11(4): 308-324. Steemers, J. (2004) Selling Television: British Television in the Global Marketplace. BFI Johnson-Woods, T. (2002). Big Bother: Why Did That Reality TV Show Become Such a Phenomenon?. Australia: University of Queensland Press. pp. 256. Berg, C. & Tobin H. (2007). Big Brother vs Big Brother, Review. Pp 33-36 Read More