Twenty years ago, the major Quebec television networks launched into a new genre that was both loved and despised: reality TV. Since then, the shows have multiplied, breaking ratings records and gaining little by little the heart and the respect of both the public and traditional media. But between the failures, the controversies and the loss of speed of the small screen, can we always predict such a bright future? Seventh text in a series that will continue over the next few weeks.
Does not become a candidate for a reality show who wants. More than ever, the teams that produce Double occupation, the island of love or Love is in the pasture comb through the past of the participants before putting them on the screen. But in the age of social media, these shows are never completely safe from the next controversy.
“At first, we did reality TV very naively: it was new, it was a laboratory, we tried things out. We chose candidates by asking ourselves above all if they were going to give a good show, we put in the editing what we thought would be entertaining without asking too many questions. Today, we have to be more careful,” points out Nicolas Lemay.
He is one of the main architects of this television niche in Quebec, of the resounding success of the first loft story to the ephemeral XOXOthrough old editions ofDouble occupation.
From one reality show to another, the candidate selection process is essentially the same. We receive the applications, we make a first selection, then we launch auditions to retain only the best. In the final stage, more questions are asked about the profile and background of the candidates.
The examination was however “light” in time, often being limited to verifying that the latter had no criminal record, recalls Nicolas Lemay. “We shared things. If we saw a drunk driving offence, we could still select the person. Well, unless he was a repeat offender, he gives as an example. But the rest was mostly common sense. »
In recent years, however, the verification process has been strengthened. “We fear more than ever who we put on the screen”, underlines the producer.
A quick tour of the most popular productions at the moment confirms this. At TVA — where we find, for example, The island of love, 5 guys for me, Star Académie or Get me out of here! —, not only are the criminal backgrounds of aspiring candidates examined, but other “rigorous procedures and protocols” have been put in place in recent years. Such as meetings with psychologists, interviews with producers where they ask “targeted questions” to the candidates, as well as in-depth research on them through social networks, indicates the direction of the channel’s programming.
The measurements are similar on the side of Love is in the meadow or Double occupationbroadcast on Noovo.
An evolution
For Marie-Élaine Nadeau, vice-president of entertainment at Attraction, which, among other things, produces Love is in the meadowthere was obviously a before-and an after-#MeToo.
The emergence of the sexual violence denunciation movement on social networks in 2017 forced producers to pay more attention to the people they put on screen, but also to the behaviors they decide to show to the public in the edit. shows. “There are clearly things that we have seen in OD Or loft story before #MeToo which would no longer pass today, ”adds Nicolas Lemay.
In his eyes, the denunciation movement does not explain everything. Society has evolved and there are far fewer things tolerated today, in general, he says. He gives an example of how much viewers were offended by the behavior bullies of Philippe, Félix and Isaack in the last season ofDouble occupationto the point of leading to their exclusion from production.
We fear more than ever who we put on the screen
Like what, even after thorough checks, no production is immune to a scandal. Several others have also paid the price. Last year, a candidate from The island of‘love was ousted from the adventureafter being the subject of denunciations on social networks.
More recently, he is a suitor of Love is in the meadow who has been denounced on the Web by several women claiming to have been victims of his “aggressive and harassing” seduction techniques. The program being recorded in advance, the production had to go back to editing to erase all traces of the candidate.
“No matter how much we check on social networks, we obviously do not have access to private messages, and that is where this type of behavior takes place, explains Marie-Élaine Nadeau. And even if there is a clause of good conduct in the contract of the candidates, it remains that we must trust them and rely on their good faith. »
Faced with these limitations, the team ofLove is in the meadow plans to systematically reveal all the participants before filming even begins in order to avoid rewinding the tape. “We all evolve in this situation. And by dint of seeing what happens with problematic candidates, future participants will also think more about their past behavior and what could come to light on them before registering, ”hopes Ms.me Nadeau.