"...and it’s not just fans Down Under that should be worried, as these major changes could soon be adopted the world over.
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While the lack of public vote continues to annoy purists, Big Brother USA makes up for it by doubling down on every other aspect of the original concept; it is the only country you can rely on to offer four live feeds every year.
For those that don’t offer feeds – a trend accelerated by Channel 5 ditching them from Big Brother UK in 2011 – there is at least the assurance that the action featured in each fast-turnaround episode was filmed within the previous 24 to 48 hours.
However, Seven’s Australian reboot can’t offer any such assurances. It is the first full ‘civilian’ series in the world to be recorded entirely in advance, airing up to four months after filming took place.
Many Big Brother fans would likely be willing to accept significant gameplay changes, even grudgingly, as long as it otherwise remains true to its principles. Instead, the new BBAU strips back any notion of being live and does away with almost all aspects of public involvement.
When Big Brother loses so much of its DNA, it’s not really Big Brother at all - and it could have ramifications worldwide.
Not all the blame lies with Seven, because it seems Endemol Shine is willing to do anything it takes to keep Big Brother on air. Endemol Shine’s Chief Creative Officer Peter Salmon revealed how the company helps broadcasters cut corners. “We think about the pressures that broadcasters are under in terms of price points and ask how we can help them continue to afford it,” he admitted.
At the time, it appeared he was referring to “lightweight” technical advancements behind-the-scenes, including “AI and biometrics”.
Indeed, there have been multiple breakthroughs in recent years. The iconic remote-controlled hothead cameras are now so advanced that house filming no longer requires manned cameras; Pinoy Big Brother, the Filipino version, took advantage of this by removing camera runs from its house in 2018. In fact, custom-built environments aren’t even necessary anymore. Big Brother adaptations now have the option of putting contestants up in an existing, ready-built house: Poland’s revival was the first to do so, and Portugal has since followed its lead.
Elsewhere, a partnership with Microsoft has seen Endemol implement machine learning and face recognition technologies to aid scene selection during the editing process. “In seconds, we’re able to locate video captured at, say, 1:10 AM that reflects exactly what we want to show on the program, even if no one was watching. That’s a big savings on resources,” explained Lisa Perrin, CEO of Creative Networks at Endemol Shine Group.
However, the new BBAU makes it crystal clear that Endemol is also willing to abandon Big Brother’s core principles to save money.
When TV shows lose sight of what makes them popular, their appeal begins to wane. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? wouldn’t be as exciting without a seven-figure prize and three lifelines, The X Factor wouldn’t be as dramatic without competing judges, I’m A Celebrity wouldn’t be as intense without fear-inducing challenges. If Big Brother’s top brass will axe live feeds, pre-record months in advance and cut almost all public involvement, where might they go next? Stop filming the housemates 24/7? Give them internet access or let them come and go as they please? These suggestions may seem far-fetched, but so did the changes they have made at one point.
The telly blog ran a story in April claiming: “Endemol Shine were adamant a new Australian version of Big Brother would involve a new format before they would sell it to any local broadcaster. Their plan was to use this market as a test case for the rest of the world in order to evolve the ageing format.”
So it seems now is a good time for Big Brother’s loyal supporters to think about what they want the future to look like."