Topic:
Collective Participation and “Bayanihan” in Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) and BGYO
Rationale:
Within popular culture, boy groups and reality TV shows are particular examples of media made to connect with audiences on a more intimate level. BGYO, through their catchy songs and performances, and PBB, with their “authentic” reality content, bridge the gap between celebrities and the audience's life. Although different in format, both boy groups and reality shows capitalize on these connections for their success as they engage audiences through mediums such as voting platforms, fan clubs, and social media, giving the audience a sense of influence and agency. By analyzing BGYO and PBB, this study hopes to show how popular culture not only influences behavior and the community, but ultimately turns these relationships into avenues of profit.
Objectives:
- Analyze how PBB and BGYO construct audience relationships through fandom culture, voting, and social media.
- Examine how emotional connections and cultural solidarity are commodified in the music and television industry.
- Identify patterns of fan engagement and how they reflect broader cultural values such as “Bayanihan” in the Philippines.
- Analyze how boy groups and reality TV exploit cultural values such as “Bayanihan” as immaterial labor that supports brand development and growth.
Methodology:
The study will use a qualitative approach by investigating the content of BGYO and PBB through select episodes and music videos. The paper will analyze how audiences of BGYO and PBB engage with one another through digital platforms such as Youtube, Facebook, Twitter/X, and Tiktok etc. By analyzing comments, news articles, fan-made content, the study will analyze patterns of participation and collective action that reflect bayanihan and are capitalized by the music and entertainment industries. Simultaneously, the study will be grounded in theories such as Henry Jenkins’ theory of Participatory Culture emphasizing how people actively participate in creating and sharing content and are not just passive consumers, ultimately becoming part of and sustaining the industries they engage with.