TV goes snooping for viewers
Print Edition
A NEW wave of television formats are set to get into viewers’ heads — and their private lives — like never before.
An Italian game show that allows couples to snoop into their partner’s mobile phone and a Spanish dating program that uses hackers to spy on potential dates were unveiled at MIPTV, the world’s top TV gathering, in Cannes.
The shows are part of a new generation of programs using technology in a bid to make TV more compelling.
“The Phone Secrets” gives participants total access to their lover’s phone messages and social media accounts.
The couple who survive the ordeal with the least to hide win.
The makers of Spain’s “Hacked Love” claim six out of 10 people lie on their first date. To counter this, they employ hackers to dig into contestants’ pasts, pointing out lies or potentially embarrassing information to the person they are dating, live on the air.
Analyst Virginia Mouseler of The Wit website, which charts trends in the industry, said other program-makers were using technology in less sensational situations.
She said factual entertainment is moving away from raising goosebumps to providing a more feelgood vibe.
“Life coaching and self-help is emerging as quite an important factor in quite a few of the new shows coming up,” she said.
An upcoming BBC show “In Your Ear” pairs people going through crises or major moments in their lives with their own personal gurus, who secretly give them advice through an ear-piece.
The gurus range from psychologists to a real-life Indian guru, an Irish nun and American management experts.
These “guardian angels follow their subject through the camera and give them the benefit of their support in all sorts of situations,” Mouseler said.
German TV channel RTL2 brought in health experts earlier this year to come to the aid of children of obese parents in “Help! My Parents are Fat!”
The hit show features an overweight father who had not eaten salad in 20 years but signed up to change because of pressure from his children.
The self-help theme continued in the new Swedish show “Sold!” which follows people trying to sell their homes.
If last-minute repairs are needed, they could do worse than turn to “Denmark versus Eastern Europe,” which pits local tradesmen against migrant workers.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
