Reality TV Rivets Africa, to the Churches’ Dismay

“Big Brother”, the reality television show that gained success in the Western world, has found a new audience in Africa. The African version has become the most popular show on the continent, with 30 million Africans tuning in to watch 12 young professionals from a diverse group of countries live together as housemates, sharing disagreements and romantic entanglements. While some religious and political leaders want the show banned for its candid portrayal of sexual situations, others see more promising qualities in the program. The housemates discuss topics like AIDS and authoritarianism, and in a nod to direct democracy, viewers are asked to vote off unpopular contestants. And for a continent used to Western-based television programs, part of the show's appeal lies in watching Africans from different countries interact with each other. "The fact that 12 different people from so different backgrounds can live in the house together for so long should be a lesson," says one evicted housemate. – YaleGlobal