DISSECTING REPRESENTATIONS AND IDEOLOGIES IN BIG BROTHER NAIJA REALITY TELEVISION SHOW
Abstract
Representations and ideologies are complex issues for media research on reality, globalization, identity and dominant stereotypes. On the other hand, the study of representation and ideology offers media audience the ability to question the positions of media texts regarding what they represent as against their social realities. This paper conceptualizes reality television as purveyors of representation and ideology that are either capable of creating or eroding value systems and beliefs or sustaining dominant hegemonic cultures and ideologies. Hence, the researchers determined to dissect the dominant representations and the ideologies that are locked in Big brother Naija reality television. This could ultimately inundate Big brother Naija’s audience with the power to deconstruct what they consume. To achieve this, the study adopted qualitative content analysis using the Critical Discourse Analysis approach(CDA) to investigate and interpret its research findings. Data for the study comprises relevant You-Tube video-footages of purposively selected three editions of Big brother Naija show that was sampled from existing seven editions within the period of this study from March 2006 to October 2022. Findings indicate that fight and aggression, offensive languages, alcohol abuse and sexual pervasion were dominant representations. Behind these representations are ideologies of sexual culture, gender objectivity and biases, symbolic power and unequal power relations of the West. Hinged on the representation theory, the paper concludes that the Big brother Naija should strive towards positive representations and ideologies that are not inimical to Nigeria’s realities, value systems and beliefs.
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