Broadcasting
BBA3: More than just a reality show
By Sunday, November 23, the curtain will be drawn on Big Brother Africa season 3 (BBA3). Described as “the biggest show on earth”, the Big Brother reality show has a global appeal with variants of this epic reality TV hosted in several countries of the world. The African edition, which premiered in 2003, had a second season in 2007. The third season, which began on Sunday, August 24 when DStv subscribers across Africa watched the live screening of the unveiling of BBA3 housemates stepping into the Big Brother House situated in Johannesburg, South Africa, winds down on November 23 when the winner is expected to be announced.
Prior to the BBA3 debut in Nigeria, a serious debate raged over whether the show should be made available to Nigerians or not. Analysts and commentators argued for and against the programme. Some of the issues bordered on the value of the show and what lessons it hoped to impart to its numerous followers across the continent. While some believed the Big Brother show has got the potential to bring Africa together by acting as a potpourri of cultures, some others believed otherwise, citing the voyeurism-focused aspect of its production, which they claimed, tends to corrupt young minds. Rave reviews of the two previous editions dwelt so much on sexuality of the housemates and their unrestricted liberty to alcohol, cigarette, etc, points which threatened to take away the immense credit Big Brother reality show has as a fusion of African cultures and a barometer to measure our response to one another across the continent as one big African family.
Undaunted by the clamour to ban BBA3, a spirited campaign to sustain the show was mounted by those who enjoyed the “reality” in reality shows being served spontaneously and uncensored. This set of people did many opinion articles to tackle those who agitated against the show, believing that the latest season will pull surprises given its “wild, wicked and wacky” label prior to the debut.
These supporters argued that Nigeria has got more problems to contend with than bothering herself with a mere entertainment program on pay-TV, which is accessible to only a handful of Nigerians who could afford the ‘high’ subscription rate out of a population of about 150 million. Nevertheless, both the enthusiast and the doubters looked forward to incidents that would help strengthen their position or crush the opposition’s argument once the show kicked off.
Over 80 days in the BBA3 House now, media reports have confirmed that the lessons to be derived from the show are many. There has been an opportunity for cultural exchange; a quick reminder of the BBA1 Ugandan housemate, Gaetano Juko Kagwa, who was swapped with a Briton, Cameron Stout, from the Big Brother UK House. Gaetano spent four days in UK, an experience which he relished deeply. In the current season, Zimbabwean Munya Chidzonga swapped places with Finnish Johan Grahn, giving viewers an insight into the Finnish way of life while Munya went to Finland to showcase African culture.
These supporters of BBA had also argued that the Big Brother Africa reality show is the only show currently in the continent that connects all African nations 24/7. They said, though it allows us a sneak peek into the various low and high turns in the lives of the individuals chosen to ‘represent’ Africa, as is true with reality shows, it is discovered that these are human beings like all of us with flesh and blood, who might make mistakes and might seek a chance to correct the mistakes as they move on with their lives outside the Big Brother House. Of course, not all housemates would spend a total of 91 days in the house but most of these ordinary Africans have turned celebrities overnight, and now have to summon courage to take their individual careers and dreams to the next level.
The intrigues in the BBA3 House so far have led to a new wave of interest in the show, as viewers now ask, “whether Big Brother Africa is a mere reality show or a long-lasting training ground for the participants who have been drilled through weekly creative tasks to gauge team work and individual talent?” Big Brother introduced a number of dynamics this season to rev up excitement in both housemates and viewers. The anxiety started mounting right from the first day until all those considered real threats were being gradually evicted from the show. Even at that, viewers’ excitement has been sustained by the quality of programming and content, as Big Brother tasked housemates on global warming, the future of Africa, United Nations’ effort at peace-keeping, sustaining African tradition and value system, parenting, honing individual skills, intergalactic exchange conference, etc.
Overall, viewers have declared the current edition as an unusual expedition for both participants and viewers through comments in the papers and on the Internet. Many who had expected the show this season to concentrate on voyeurism as a selling point have been thoroughly disappointed. Shifting the shower hour to 11:00pm in Nigeria as opposed to the initial 5:00am became necessary to avoid controversy. Yet, that what was considered an integral feature of BBA1 and BBA2 had been tacitly cut out and did not affect the quality of the show so far is a testimony to the fact that the Big Brother reality show is not really about sex but people.
Nigerians were privileged to watch homeboy Uti Nwachukwu play the game with fellow Africans for over 40 days. While some felt he did not fare well, especially when he broke things in the house after Lucille’s eviction, a large number of followers expressed satisfaction that Uti did not disgrace Nigeria in the BBA3 House. He paraded himself as the real ‘big brother’ Nigeria is to other African countries.
Unlike many other reality shows, the Big Brother has brought a lot of innovation into reality television. Reality television, as reality show is also known, is a genre of television programming which presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors. The term ‘reality television’ started to gain currency in Africa since 2000 with the first season of Big Brother US, although the genre has existed in one form or another since the early years of television dating back to the 1940s. Big Brother Africa show came to inspire many other reality TV shows across the continent.
The Big Brother it was that introduced the cinema verite feel of many of today’s reality shows. It adapted and finetuned the concept of putting strangers together in the same environment for an extended period of time (91 days in the case of BBA) and recording the drama that ensued. It interspersed events on screen with after-the-fact confessionals during a daily Diary Session. Big Brother added to reality television template the idea of competition and elimination, in which contestants battle against each other and are removed from the show through weekly eviction until only one winner emerges. The Big Brother has had a global impact, having been successfully syndicated in dozens of countries across the world. The Nigerian version dubbed Big Brother Nigeria (BBN) held in 2006.
Analysts of reality television have critically observed that viewers of reality television watch the show because of its ability to provide schadenfreude – satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else’s misfortune or humiliation. They argued that viewers do not watch reality television for precious insight into the human condition but for those awkward scenes that make us feel a smidge better about our own little unfilmed lives.
BBA3 viewers have derived immense pleasure through housemates’ scheming, which helps generate tension in the House. Big Brother adds to the intrigue by introducing twists and changing the rules of the game as he pleases. Some say they have gained a lot from the various tasks assigned the housemates. Some of the tasks stretched their imagination, compelling viewers to rate the housemates and judge them based on their cooperation with one another, establishing an age-old wisdom that team work is a critical factor necessary for survival in life. Viewers are quick in identifying those who are team players and those who are not.
BBA3 housemates danced together, cooked together, shared traditional African folklore together, just the way we love it African-style. These hitherto total strangers tried conscientiously to tolerate each other in the rather unusual environment Big Brother had confined them in. It was a total package; the Big Brother reality show is a lifetime lesson in endurance, patience, tolerance, determination and focus.
BBA reality show affords viewers an insight into the minds of other viewers in distant places, availing them of an opportunity to interact on regular basis on the Oboma network where you can make friends and boost your chances for future social and economic partnerships. The show has justified its rating by giving viewers more than they desired, and in spite of the whittling down of instantaneous actions with new rules and restrictions for the housemates, Nigerians (both on the right and the left wings of the argument for its ban) became the eventual winners when the ‘sanity’ the newly-introduced rules have brought to bear on the screening of the current edition is considered.
The current BBA3 is a great improvement in terms of intrigue, which brings us back to the “wild, wicked and wacky” slogan of this edition. Right from the word go, the 12 housemates made it point-clear they were in the house for the ultimate prize. Though alliances were quickly formed, it was part of the strategies to prevent housemates from nominating each other, especially when a bond of friendship had been tacitly signed.
Nigerian housemate, Uti Nwachukwu (the third BBA3 housemate to be evicted) bestrode the house like the lord of the manor, commanding respect from all other mates. He bullied, cajoled and did pull a few other stunts to register his presence and personality. For all his efforts, he got the Ghanaian Mimi terrified to the point that she sought relief in getting him out of the house at all cost. She eventually achieved her aim.
With just a few days to go in the BBA season 3, viewers have begun to analyze how truly “wild, wicked and wacky” the show has been. And how truly it has been reflective of Africa’s mood towards one another. Whether as a people, our much-touted unity in diversity is a ruse or reality? Through the housemates, we are reminded that Africa is not just about 12 countries, only that these 12 countries are the ones that have representatives in the show. Other African nations support with their comments and votes, thus affirming we are one big family.
Viewers now seem to have a clear indication of who the eventual winner of the $100,000.00 cash prize might be. Angolan Ricco remains the only one on whom every African is willing to stake their money. The young man has been nominated repeatedly without being evicted. His mates who got evicted told Africans he is a strong character without pretensions. Africa loves him and they have demonstrated this love repeatedly by returning him to the House every time he came up for eviction.
Though they range in size, age and character, the housemates, each with his or her uniqueness, have consistently reminded us of our diversity and the need to find unity, peace and economic prosperity in the things that join us together as one people with a common African destiny. BBA3 has been more than a reality show, it is a statement confirming Africa’s destiny as one indivisible entity which must rise together against all odds and emerge soon as world’s super-power.
Multichoice Limited has proceeded to increase packages price for DStv and GOtv as announce on Wednesday last week.
This is despite the order by Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) sitting in Abuja, restraining the pay tv company from increasing its tariffs and cost of products and services.
Recall that on April 24, the company announced that it would increase its price for its DStv and GOtv cable services, beginning from on May 1.
But CCPT in Abuja ruled that the firm should not increase its prices as scheduled.
The three-member tribunal, presided over by Saratu Shafii, gave the interim order on Monday following an ex-parte motion moved by Ejiro Awaritoma, counsel for Festus Onifade, the applicant.
In a ruling, the tribunal restrained multi-choice from going ahead with the impending price increase schedule to take effect from May 1, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed before it.
It also directed all parties in the suit to appear before the tribunal on May 7 at 10 a.m. for the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
The petitioner had dragged Multichoice Nigeria Ltd and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) before the tribunal.
In the suit filed on April 29, Onifade, also a legal practitioner, sought two orders.
These include, “an order of interim injunction of this honourable tribunal restraining the 1st defendant whether by themselves, her privies, assigns by whatsoever name called from going ahead with impending price increase schedule to take effect from 1st May 2024, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“An order restraining the 1st defendant from taking any step(s) that may negatively affect the rights of the claimant and other consumers in respect of the suit pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
The company had, on April 1, 2022, hiked the prices of all its packages..
Despite the court ruling, a check by this medium revealed that the South African firm has gone ahead with the tariff increase as earlier proposed.
On its official website, the new prices are now being displayed and implemented.
For DStv Premium subscribers, the price has moved from N29,500 to N37,000. Also, the price for
Compact rate has moved from N12,500 to 15,700 while Confam and Yanga subscribers will now pay N9,300 and N5,100 respectively from their previous rates of N7,400 and N4,200.
Similarly, GOtv subscribers will pay the new tariff increase as the prices have also changed on their official websites.
The elite subscribers (Supa+ and Supa) will now pay N15,700 and N9,600 respectively as against the previous rates of N12,500 and N7,600 before.
In addition, the Max and Jolli subscribers are now expected to pay N7,200 and N4,850 respectively. The former rates were N5,700 and N3,950.
However, on average, Multichoice increased the prices by 25%.
AstraZeneca has launched Cancer Care Africa programme in Kenya, a first-of-its-kind collaboration with the Ministry of Health, The Kenya Society of Haematology and Oncology (KESHO), Axios, the National Cancer Institute of Kenya (NCI), and other partners to improve cancer care in Kenya by equitably improving access and outcomes across the patient care pathway, from diagnosis through to treatment and beyond.
Through a co-creation approach, the initiative will foster collaboration among the oncology community. Hon. Nakhumicha S. Wafula EGH, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Kenya, Dr Elias Melly, CEO, National Cancer Institute of Kenya and Dave Fredrickson, Executive Vice-President, Oncology Business Unit, AstraZeneca attended an event today in Nairobi, Kenya marking the launch of this program.
Cancer has become a major public health concern in Kenya and across Africa. Latest figures from the World Health Organization show there were 44,726 cancer cases and 29,317 cancer deaths in Kenya in 2022. This is set against a regional context that estimates 2.1 million new cases and 1.4 million deaths annually by 2040 across Africa.
Despite recent increases in resources invested in cancer, several critical barriers still hinder progress including a lack of disease awareness, limited diagnostic capabilities, an absence of structured screening programmes, and challenges in accessing treatment. To tackle these barriers, each country we work with develops initiatives across our four pillars of action:
- Building Capacity and Capabilities: We are committed to supporting more than
100 oncology centres and providing training for more than 10,000 healthcare professionals to improve quality of care delivered to patients across the continent. - Enhancing screening and diagnostics: We will enhance screening and diagnostics provision for one million people across lung, breast and prostate cancer, to improve patient outcomes and reduce health system burden through acting early approaches.
- Empowering patients: We will ensure we address the real needs of patients through engagement with local PAGs to support increased disease awareness and informed patient decision-making.
- Enabling access to medicines: We will enhance the availability of critical cancer medicines by introducing flexible models that can provide access to our innovative treatments.
Ahead of the launch, Cancer Care Africa has already donated ultrasound biopsy machines to seven hospitals across Kenya to enhance early prostate cancer diagnosis, as well as donating the country’s first biomarker testing machine for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations to Aga Khan University Hospital.
Hon. Nakhumicha S. Wafula EGH, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Kenya, said, “The launch of the Cancer Care Africa programme in Kenya is a significant step towards improving cancer care for all. This collaborative initiative has the potential to significantly improve access to diagnosis, treatment, and care, ultimately saving lives and improving the well-being of Kenyans impacted by this disease, as well as their families and communities.”
Dave Fredrickson, Executive Vice-President, Oncology Business Unit, AstraZeneca, said: “With an increasing number of patients being diagnosed with cancer in Kenya and across Africa in the coming decades, joint action to improve patient outcomes and safeguard health care systems for the future has never been more important. The Cancer Care Africa programme will support early detection, increase timely diagnosis, and improve access to treatment options for patients across Kenya.”
Launched in November 2002 at COP27 in Egypt, Cancer Care Africa is aiding countries across the continent to fight against cancer by advocating for policy changes to enhance screening and diagnostics, implementing health awareness and education programs to empower patients, as well as training physicians and healthcare workers and building their capacities, and striving to enable access to cancer medicines. With these pillars, Cancer Care Africa strives to improve outcomes for all individuals affected by the disease, irrespective of their demographic, geographic, or socio-economic status.
Yemisi Bamgbose, executive secretary of the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), has faulted the decision of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to review DStv and GOtv subscriptions.
In a statement on Monday, Bamgbose said the commission had remained silent following the increase in prices of goods and services by big firms and companies — but intends to review prices of the pay-tv.
“I would have given FCCPC a thumb up if they had been intervening on price matters, most especially those that have direct bearing on the livelihood of the masses,” Bamgbose said.
“If the mandate of FCCPC includes price control of goods and services in a free and deregulated economy, where was the organisation when Bakers Association in the country increased the cost of a loaf of bread more than 200% in the last one year.
“I doubt if FCCPC was aware that a sachet of pure water has been increased from five naira to twenty naira the last one year. Is the organisation on vacation?
“Perhaps the organisation is on leave when bottling companies in the country astronomically increased the cost of malt and other soft drinks. I was surprised that FCCPC didn’t call stakeholders meeting to review the new prices.
“Perhaps the cost of a bag of cement has not been increased from four thousand Naira in the last one year. That must be the reason why FCCPC did not deem it fit to invite Dangote, Bua and Lafarge cement manufacturers with relevant stakeholders to discuss the more than 100% increase on a bag of cement.
“Aviation sector, on a daily basis, increases the cost of domestic flights. This also has not attracted the attention of FCCPC.
“In the education sector, I was wondering why FCCPC could not call for the review of the cost being charged by private educational institutions especially those charging in dollars in a country where Naira is the legal tender.”
According to Bamgbose, if other services are allowed to increase their prices, MultiChoice should also have the freedom to determine the price of its products to maintain high-quality service.
She added that the choice of whether or not to subscribe to the service should be up to the consumer.
The secretary said subscription television is not an essential commodity and those who cannot afford the services of MultiChoice or any pay TV can decide not to subscribe.
“Anyway, on the part of broadcasting, I want to assume that FCCPC does not know what goes into the business of broadcasting, perhaps, that could inform the decision of the agency to plan the proposed review of the increase in the price of DSTV and GOTv pay TV channels respectively,” she said.
“There are free to air stations such as NTA, RADIO NIGERIA, AIT, SILVERBIRD CHANNELS, STATE OWNED RADIO AND TV STATIONS, PRIVATE RADIO STATIONS etc where consumers don’t pay to listen to radio or watch television.
“There are subscription channels such as MULTICHOICE, GOtv, TNtv, STARTIMES etc where viewers pay to watch and listen. There are choices.
“During Covid-19 pandemic, stations burnt diesel without adverts or other sources of revenue for more than twelve months in national interest.
“The cost of diesel rose from two hundred naira per litre in 2021 to one thousand seven hundred per litre in 2023/24, and broadcast stations have to transmit for twenty four hours changing from one generator to the other.
“None of the national stations such as Channels TV, Arise, TVC, AIT, Silverbird, and NTA, amongst others, commits less than one hundred million Naira on diesel on monthly basis to keep their mandate of information, education and entertainment.
“It may interest the public to know that many, if not all, of the national radio and television stations in Nigeria have not been able to break-even since 2020 when the nation’s economy was shut down as a result to Covid-19 pandemic.
“Why? Each network station that transmits 24 hours consumes not less than twelve thousand litres of diesel per week. In Nigeria, we want everything free.
“For MultiChoice to provide coverage to the nooks and cranies of the country, it maintains over three hundred sites powered with diesel generating sets in each of the sites.
“The public should also know that these PAYTV companies purchase all these contents that subscribers watch at the comfort of their homes and offices.
“Those who can not afford the services of MultiChoice and indeed any pay TV can decide not to subscribe, afterwards, there are many free to air television channels and content on satellites OVER THE TABLE (OTT) that can be accessed through free to air decoders and wifi.”
Recall that on April 24, Multichoice Nigeria announced an increase in the cost of subscriptions for its DStv and GOtv packages.
The pay-tv firm cited the rise in cost of operations as the rationale behind the price increase.
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