Cause for alarm
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Just as we get the politicians we deserve, perhaps we also get the television that we deserve. The Big Brother series now showing on Channel 4 - cameras in every room at the secret north-London location - is a ritual on-screen humiliation of its participants, each of whom is pursuing the £70,000 jackpot. Millions end up hooked on the grossness of the concept.
Just as we get the politicians we deserve, perhaps we also get the television that we deserve. The Big Brother series now showing on Channel 4 - cameras in every room at the secret north-London location - is a ritual on-screen humiliation of its participants, each of whom is pursuing the £70,000 jackpot. Millions end up hooked on the grossness of the concept.
Tackiness is now par for the course. But TV companies eagerly hire in psychologists to lend a sense of dubious gravitas. When, however, the psychologists are criticised for legitimising exploitation of the participants, the policy backfires.
Sometimes, these jolly japes go embarrassingly wrong. When comedian Dom Joly trotted around a Gloucestershire village wearing a stripey top and carrying a bag marked "Swag", asking where rich people lived, the joke turned out (unsurprisingly, you might think) to be on the programme-makers: police were deployed to the scene and a helicopter was put on standby. They may now face charges for causing alarm and distress, and for wasting police time. And what about wasting viewers' time? Surely, Joly's Trigger Happy TV team - along with a clutch of other programme-makers - can be prosecuted for that.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments