Struggle Street participants still unhappy with SBS
Ahead of the finale on Wednesday, participants still express their disappointment with Struggle Street.
- Published by David Knox
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Participants in controversial SBS series Struggle Street are still unhappy with their depiction despite the show having raised discussion about poverty and wide support on social media.
Last night one local community member who participated told ABC’s Q & A: “I was deeply disappointed at the promises that were made around breaking stereotypes when all I saw was reinforcing of stereotypes and the selective editing. And cutting the most vulnerable people in our society out of a process that we all take for granted, which is what parts of ourselves that we present forward to the world.”
Meanwhile Peta Kennedy has told New Idea magazine, “This has caused so much heartache and drama.
“We had no idea we were going to be portrayed in this way. I feel they have totally and cruelly humiliated my husband.
“During the course of filming, Ashley was diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s. He already had a raft of health issues, suffering four heart attacks, stroke and a triple bypass. He certainly could have done without being made a fool of in the promo.”
She said daughter Chloe has been subjected to online bullying since appearing in the show.
“This has set Chloe back a hell of a lot. It’s just so needless and cruel … we’ve had very sleepless nights. I’ve tried to get the message out there, this is not what we’re like. It’s left me totally exhausted.”
In a statement SBS said the broadcaster and Keo Films stand by Struggle Street as ‘a program which makes a valuable contribution to the national conversation about the support needed to address complex issues of hardship, illness and addiction.’
The series concludes tomorrow night with a double episode on SBS.
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7 Responses
I saw that Nine promo for Life On the Dole as well and it appears to be a Brit buy-in with Nine dubbing in local voice-overs to try and “localise” it. Please, do we really need Nine to ape Murdoch’s papers with this type of brainless welfare bashing?
Bad luck.I just wished SBS would have dragged it out more.Look forward to watching tomorrows episode.
I don’t know why anyone would lay their lives out like that…especially when hubby has now and had, all those health issues….and as for someone who says….’trust me’…..well that would send up warning signs….for me…..
15 minutes of fame often has prolonged consequences..not just this…but all reality shows….not for me…to watch or participate….
Always frustrates me to see so many of these “battlers” endlessly lighting up a fresh ciggy or slurping on a sixpack of beer/Woodstock and Coke, all the while lamenting how they are flat broke and wondering how they will pay the next bill.
Found the the scene in the last episode of SS where the son whinges that dad didn’t give him enough money for a packet of ciggies – they were something like 20 dollars rather than 17- particularly ironic.
Surely a continual supply of booze and cigs would be a luxury they really can’t afford and other essentials should come first?
Having said that, Peta seems like a decent woman, trying her best to cope under really tough circumstances.
It does seem a bit much to be surprised in seeing stuff you know that you were filmed doing.
It is a shame that SBS didn’t provide more facts and context. They have said eps 2 & 3 do that and it might be worth watching them before passing judgement.
Fortunately for SBS Nine will save them tomorrow. Nine ran a promo for Life on the Dole (see what they are really doing with taxpayer money) in TBBT last night to cash in. Now we will see what a proper tabloid beating up of the weak and vulnerable looks like.
Stop the press – New Idea is now involved – tough hard-hitting journalism
Or just trying to extend their 15minutes of fame with more manufactured outrage
I bet the participants wouldn’t have been so ‘upset’ if the media hadn’t told them they needed to be upset.
This is a great case study in media manipulation if you are a Uni student. There is a link here to how the Liberal party were elected, but I don’t want to make it (I would like David to publish my comment!)
So the husband has suffered four heart attacks, a stroke, and had triple bypass, yet he still smokes !! These people may not have seen what was going to air, but they only have themselves to blame for the way they behaved in front of the cameras. Most people would assume that anything they said or did could make it to air.