Content Regulations: an influencing role in the production of Big Brother

Big Brother aired in Australia mainly because of the co-operation of four different companies, Network Ten, Southern Star Endemol, Dreamworld and Global Television. Global television provided equipment, camera crew and the construction of the studio control room (that we see in the opening credits of the show). There are 25 in house cameras, seven of those have ‘hot head’ remote control along with three with infrared capabilities. Audio sound comes from 20 fixed microphones, along with the microphones each housemate carries. The filming runs as follows: the footage is collected, digitalised ready, edited once before being reviewed by producers and the supervising editor and finally the classification officer views the episode. There is a 30 second delay in transmission in case editors missed anything not allowed to be presented within the elected time slot classification. All of the filming is directed from the control room, here the cameras are told to focus on particular individuals, maximising the best image. Each new scene is introduced with subtitles and a voice over from host Gretel Killeen. From reading TV land : Australia's obsession with reality television, The Australian Broadcasting Authority, ABA, as a federal body, determined times that the Big Brother programs, daily show, eviction night, Monday nominations and up-late can be aired. Along with the televised broadcasting, Big Brother is also live streamed on the internet. Dreamworld has now transformed the Big Brother house and compound into an attraction. With a gift shop and photo opportunity on the diary chair, Dreamworld has made a lot of revenue from ticket sales in particular.