Recession-era reality TV: show lets employees decide fate of co-workers
Last Updated: Wednesday, April 8, 2009 | 2:29 PM ET
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Dutch-based production company Endemol, creator of the controversial Big Brother reality TV franchise, is tapping into the global recession and struggling businesses for its latest endeavour.
Someone's Gotta Go, a series set to air on Fox TV, could also be adapted for other international regions. It will feature staffers at flailing companies deciding the future of their colleagues.
Workers at struggling firms will be enlisted to choose who will get a pay cut, a raise in salary, or lose his or her job completely — based on information about their colleagues' pay and reviews of their past performance.
One troubled company — and a new layoff — will be featured each week.
The concept is the reverse of reality shows like The Apprentice or The Rebel Billionaire — in which a business mogul like Donald Trump, Alan Sugar or Richard Branson progressively whittles down prospective employees in a prolonged survival challenge/job interview.
Fox Television has not yet set an air date for Someone's Gotta Go, nor revealed the identity of the host, said to be a business consultant who will offer advice to the participants.
With files from the Associated PressShare Tools
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