The Catholic Church in Brazil protested Thursday against reality TV
shows popular in the country, calling them "bad" for society.
The
shows, said the Brazilian National Bishops Conference, "attack the
dignity of people, as much that of the participants who are as
fascinated by a cash prize or fleeting celebrity as the public, which is
made up of Brazilian families."
Brazilians are fervent watchers
of reality TV programs, particularly their version of Big Brother, which
is in its 11th season and which puts contestants in a studio house
monitored in every corner by cameras.
While the winner receives
900,000 dollars, other participants -- especially female ones --
typically pose naked in magazines after appearing, or pop up as
presenters in other television shows.
Brazil's bishops bemoaned the "low moral level" of these sorts of shows, calling them "an abusive and immoral exploitation."
They
called on television networks in Brazil -- the country with the world's
largest Catholic population -- to think hard about their role in social
life, and for authorities to be more active in overseeing such fare.