Big Brother After Dark: TVGN Revises “No Difference” Censorship Stance

TVGN airs Big Brother After Dark

Last night Big Brother After Dark made its BB15 debut on its new home with TVGN after numerous seasons on Showtime’s SHO2. While the shift in channel may have surprised some viewers it was the apparent and seemingly frequent censor interruptions of Houseguest sailor-worthy conversations that caught us off-guard. Wait, this wasn’t supposed to be happening. At least not according to what we thought we had learned in the weeks before.

During the preseason build-up there was a strong concern that the relocation of “After Dark” from SHO2 to TVGN would signal the end of BBAD’s full view of Big Brother with an anticipation of censorship. To answer that question we turned to TVGN’s Leslie Furuta, the Senior Vice President of Communications and Media Relations.

Ms. Furuta originally explained to me that while there would be some standard cable restrictions, there would be “literally no difference between “Big Brother: After Dark” on TVGN and past season of the show previously on SHO2.” So what happened? What we watched last night was actually much different from any BBAD we had seen before.

We returned to Furuta today with questions and this time we received a different explanation. “[TVGN isn’t] going to wholesale edit out anything that’s happening in the house such that fans miss any storylines or context for the interactions between the house guests,” she explained. In other words, yes TVGN will censor words and events, but attempt to do so in a way to avoid disrupting the storyline.

Side note: According to RealityBlurred’s research, “as a cable network, TVGN is not bound by FCC content rules regarding indecent and profane content, which includes bad language.” This would suggest the decision was made by TVGN to optionally censor, rather than as a FCC requirement.

So did we misinterpret the initial response? Yes, it certainly would seem so. Something was certainly jumbled. BBAD is now censored and not at all what we told you to expect. Clearly there was a disconnect between being told “no difference,” what we then relayed to you, and where we are now with the show.

Ultimately the final editorial decisions here are my own and my responsibility. I let you down and I apologize. Now in our sixth season of covering Big Brother here on BBN and as a fan of the series since its start I strive to provide the most accurate and useful information. This time I failed and I’m sorry for misinforming you.

What does this mean for “Big Brother: After Dark”? The spirit and purpose of the show remains the same: to give you access inside the Big Brother house and greater context to the game being played. Unfortunately it will be different this season and won’t be afforded the same freedoms as BBAD previously had on SHO2.

As for what to expect, TVGN will be censoring nine words and “keeping our eye out for nudity.” We suspect CBS has been steering away from the latter topic for awhile now as even the Feed cameras seem to have begun avoiding shower time and things of the sort, so I wouldn’t get too hung up on that aspect.

TVGN has promised to continue to work to improve their censoring for improved accuracy and less extended dropouts. They ask for another chance as last night was their first attempt and admittedly heavy-handed on the bleep-button. They want to do better. Keep in mind though that this does not mean BBAD will eventually transition to an uncensored experience. This is the new lay of the land and should be expected to continue.

Big Brother fans disappointed by this end result should consider subscribing to the Live Feeds using the Free Trial to compare and test their options. TVGN is free and this move now offers BBAD to more fans, but for those who were willing to pay a premium in the past that option still exists today but with the Live Feeds now instead of Showtime.

One more side note. Viewers concerned by the lack of an HD channel for TVGN should remember BBAD has never been in HD. Even if the channel you used for SHO2 was the HD version, the actual content from within the house has always been SD. Playing SD on an HD channel does not change it from being SD.

Viewers interested in offering feedback are suggested to do so via Twitter with comments sent to @TVGN using #BBAD.

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52 Comments

  1. Don’t worry Matt! You didn’t relay us bad info, they did! You were just our messenger lol. Keep up all your hard work! These past 6 seasons with you have been exciting

  2. Or Wavision(not avaiable) – however I do have ShowTime- I assumed when it on a general broadcast it would be censored- if I could see it I imagine I know what would be bleeped out.

  3. They’re only doing this to force people to get the feeds. BBAD is not an uncensored look into the house anymore. This is more money for CBS, im afraid to say.

    • You shouldn’t be afraid to say that because that’s exactly how it’s looking. I was so disappointed last night with BBAD on tv.

    • I actually suspect this was all a move to get more attention to TVGN. CBS just bought up half ownership of the channel and knew they could get a big stack of viewers on that channel w/ BBAD’s built-in audience. They really don’t make much off the Feeds. Growing TVGN’s ratings would be more valuable for them.

  4. Its not available on my cable provider. Showtime may have been a pay channel but it was pretty open on what was shown and said. Now I dont have the option to watch on tv. I dont want to have to hook my computer to my tv to watch it online.

  5. maybe it was because it was the first night but unike previous seasons these houseguests suck mostly only have two worth watching

  6. wont be watching BBAD at all. Just another way to get people to subscribe to the feeds. I had a SHO sub for BBAD and got hooked on other stuff on SHO. So I’ll stick with SHO and not other with BBAD, way to go CBS, keep up the greed..

    • Well they have to make up the money they are losing from blocking us Canadians from getting the live feed. Bastards!!!!!!!!!!!

  7. besides it being censored, how is BBAD different than it was on SHO2? This is the first year im able to watch it since i don’t have SHO2.

      • This is the first year im able to watch it since i don’t have SHO2!! this implies that you can order sho2 which you can’t my point was is you have showtime you automatically get all of the sho channels

      • Brian are you a total dumb ass, he said he can watch it now ..because it is not on Showtime, it’s on TVGN.. pay attention idiot

      • ronnyis I an not an idiot, read my responses again DJ implied you can order SHO2 by itself which you cant!! I said if you have shotime you have sho2 automatically learn to read I know its on TVGN so don’t go on some one unless you can understand individuals comments

  8. Do NOT say that you failed. You do more than enough to provide us with the best information as possible. You are doing an amazing job!

  9. I have decided not to record it. I loved the after dark, because it was uncut. This will only tell the story the way they want it told and I think that is totally unfair to all the players. Especially the ones they write to be the nasty, unwanted, outcast, how ever you want to say it. The true BB fan will know what I am saying.

  10. Please go back to show time or I’m afraid your gonna loss a lot of viewer’s!

  11. Matt, you absolutely did NOT fail. You can only report on what you’re told. And if you’re told lies then it’s not YOU that looks bad…It’s THEM! As i’ve stated before, talking heads are good at double speak. You’ve never let us down…not now…not ever.

      • Matt don’t take our complaints personal we all know how great you are! We just Love the way we were able to watch it before. You didn’t know how it was going to be. People like to mislead people. Stay strong!!!

  12. It sucked last nite. I wish it stayed on Showtime. I am disappointed I thing Big Brother made a mistake and the ratings will suffer

  13. CBS owns both networks… and yes new BBAD sucked! I don’t mind only 2 hrs though, now I will get an extra hour of sleep and not feel like I am missing out! Lol

  14. Well as much as these houseguests drop F-bombs, I don’t know how TVGN will be able to do much of anything different than they did last night. A huge mistake by CBS to move it from SHO. Nobody is looking for a watered down version of BBAD. We tuned in previous seasons BECAUSE it was uncensored. Last night’s was unwatchable. They’ll get one more chance from me, then I will go back to forgetting what channel TVGN is again.

  15. HATE IT BB BAD ON YOU YOU TOOK SOMETHING GOOD AND MAD IT WORST WEST COAST COULD ALWAYS WATCH IT LIVE AT 9:00pm and now we get a tape play at 12:00 WILL NOT BE WATCHING ANY AFTER DARK NOW SO SAD I GUESS BB HAS RUN IT COURSE AND WILL DIE THIS YEAR UNLESS SOMETHING CHANGES BYE BYE BB.

  16. I was so upset I missed out on the first BBAD but after reading this post and all the comments that followed on the horrible experience and the fact that it wouldn’t change made me glad I missed it. Won’t bother checking it out since it sounds like a waste of time. Thx for the heads up BB fans.

  17. Really wasn’t your fault at all. Seriously. Her initial comments came across very strongly that there would not be censorship. Your interpretation was very on point and had it been incorrect, they should have said so immediately.

  18. we are on Baja Broadband, it carries the channel, but only for the guide. They offer no shows on TVGN. I wish it was still on Showtime.

    • It actually does.. it has movies on the channel and the big brother.. We have Baja as well.. It wasn’t good at all :((

  19. It is really hard to hear conversations- even when words are not being bleeped- showtime did a much better job- I feel like I fast forward through the whole 2 hrs.

  20. I think to rectify problem CBS should offer 3 hours of their live feed FREE daily!!!

  21. So, I recorded the BBAD that showed up on Slice here in Canada Wednesday night… It wasn’t on until 2:00am, but it wasn’t censored at all! Lots of F-Bombs!

    So, we may not get the live feeds here, but we do seem to get the good BBAD!

  22. There have now been two BBAD and the censoring DOES interrupt the flow and leaves me very frustrated. The mike control is bad too. For instance, trying to hear the conversation between Howard and Spencer while playing chess last night. All you could hear clearly were the people down below in the kitchen. They used to raise mike volume during these times. This is not even close to Showtime BBAD. Maddening!

  23. Did any one else notice that TVGN is letting the SH*T word slip through the censors fingers,
    but dare not drop the “F” bomb.
    Talking about a double standard.
    OMFG it’s 2013 … we are grownups. It’s AFTER DARK.

    • omg…u r sooo rite MisPattiB….i thought i wz the only one that noticed that…..damn shame…..im so disappointed at this move by cbs…..

  24. I have watched every season , got Showtime ONLY for After dark ( the 3 hours ) …………..disappointed and will not be watching anymore BB at all >>>>>> filing this program in the same file as Fox !.

  25. So disappointed. Can’t even understand any part of a conversation because of the censoring. It would be ok if they just censored the person cursing but it’s everyone talking which we all know is more than one person at a time. As for those who say pay for live feed it’s the same as paying.for showtime not when showtime is a part of your package. Love BB such a huge fan but this BB After Dark may just change my mind. I couldn’t wait for the season to begin for both BB and BB After Dark. Have been loyal to both and this is how it’s going to be!!!!!

  26. Really disappointed in BBAD on TVGN. After watching three episodes, I’m done! Too much censorship. It used to be a very entertaining adult show. I miss the Showtime version.

  27. If I want to watch BBAD, I want to watch it where i can see uncut action, hear what they are saying without tons of beebs or quiet spots. This is ridiculous produces. Get out of this contract and move it back to showtime where we can watch it without all of the censorship crap.

  28. I can’t believe all the post that the wont be any differenece from TVGN and sho2, my ass. this sucks and i too am removing it from my DVR and considering deleting BB itself for even making this move, iy is boring now.

    • how do you get the tv guide to stop scrolling under the show im with Comcast its annoying

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