CBS announced, on November 9, an initiative to make its reality competition shows include at least 50 percent more BIPOC (Black, Indigenous People of Color).
The two shows that this will most affect are Big Brother and Survivor. Both shows have been on the air since 2000, with Big Brother recently finishing its twenty-second season in October, and Survivor finishing its fortieith season in May.
Each of these seasons were criticized by fans for not having enough BIPOC contestants. Each of these seasons had five BIPOC contestants, with Big Brother having a 16 person cast, and Survivor having a 20 person cast.
Big Brother and Survivor have both been involved in controversies relating to the treatment of non-white contestants. In 2013, Big Brother put a disclaimer before each episode of its fifteenth season after a petition was created and signed by 27,000 viewers to expel contestants Aaryn Gries and GinaMarie Zimmerman after they were heard on the live feeds making derogatory and racist comments about fellow BIPOC contestants Candice Steward and Helen Kim.
Although they weren’t removed from the show, both lost their jobs, and Gries was interviewed about her comments directly after her elimination on live television.
Another complaint about both shows is the ratio of white winners to BIPOC winners. Big Brother has never seen a Black or African-American winner in its 22 seasons, and three out of 22 winners are people of color. Survivor has seen eight winners that are BIPOC out of its 40 seasons and 39 winners.
In June, the Survivor Diversity Campaign was created by former Survivor contestant J’Tia Taylor. The Campaign says that “Survivor should reflect and honor the racial diversity of our society–both in front of and behind the camera.” The petition created by them is currently over 7,900 signatures, and can be reached here. Some of the conditions on the petition include, at least 30percent BIPOC representation, giving BIPOC equal screen time, and enforcing a zero-tolerance rule towards racism
Neither Big Brother or Survivor is expected to return to television until 2021, with Big Brother usually taking place in summer, and Survivor airing in the spring and fall, so fans will have to wait and see if the shows deliver on their statement.
