Abstract

The case describes the controversy that engulfed the ‘Celebrity Big Brother 2007’ (CBB 2007) reality show aired in the UK in January 2007. It highlights some allegations of racial abuse against Indian actress Shilpa Shetty (Shetty) in the ‘Big Brother House’. The case also examines the problems faced by Channel 4, the broadcaster of CBB 2007 show, including the sponsors withdrawing their sponsorships on the ground that the controversy was tarnishing their image. Some industry experts also alleged that Channel 4’s management was purposely over highlighting the clashes between Shetty and Jade Goody in order to improve the channel’s ratings. The case focuses on the role of media in handling sensitive issues such as racial abuse and practice of gaining publicity from such controversies.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand the role of media in dealing with controversial issues such as racism
• Critically examine the ethical dimensions of such controversies
• and Examine the sustainability of reality shows like ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ from an ethical viewpoint.

Keywords

Celebrity Big Brother, Shilpa Shetty, Channel 4, Racial Discrimination, Big Brother House, Reality Shows, Jade Goody, Business Ethics, Multi-culturalism, Television rating points, Sponsorships