It has been a long time coming and no great surprise that there has been a sexual abuse attach on Big Brother Africa which has sparked outrage throughout the continent. The alleged incident was broadcast live on air by pay-TV channel M-Net.
Richard Bezuidenhout from Tanzania was judged by some viewers to have sexually assaulted fellow house mate Ofunneka Molokwua - as a result many viewers complained to newspapers and voiced their anger on message boards.
Unsurprisingly the company behind the show has decided that it was not assault - and is even considering showing the footage again to clear up any confusion. At the time both contestants were intoxicated and later on in the same night Producers had to call in paramedics to deal with all the drunken house mates and were forced to cut the live feed.
The whole incident was hardly helped by Bezuidenhout defending his sexual behaviour, telling house mates: "Well, this is Africa."
Assault on Big Brother Reality TV
Controversy Surrounds Big Brother Africa
Trend Themes
1. Reality TV Accountability - The recent sexual abuse incident on Big Brother Africa highlights the need for greater accountability in reality TV production and content.
2. Social Media Backlash - Viewers using social media to voice their anger over the incident reveals a trend of audiences holding media companies accountable for content and behavior of reality TV participants.
3. Cultural Sensitivity in Media - The controversial remark made by Richard Bezuidenhout reveals the importance of cultural sensitivity in media production and the potential consequences of cultural insensitivity.
Industry Implications
1. Reality TV Production - Opportunities for increasing accountability and implementing stricter regulations to ensure the safety and well-being of reality TV participants.
2. Social Media Management - Businesses can offer social media management services to assist media companies with handling social media backlash during and after controversial incidents on their platforms.
3. Cultural Sensitivity Training - Consultancies can offer cultural sensitivity training for media companies and their employees to promote awareness and avoid cultural insensitivity in content and behavior.