U.K. viewers flock to “Brother” Web site

While the U.S. version of Big Brother continues to produce only mediocre ratings, and while traffic to the show’s Web site has plunged following the initiation of a subscriber fee, the current British version is drawing big audiences not only for the TV show itself but also for the Web site. According to Endemol, the show’s producers, the Big Brother Web site attracted more than one million unique visitors last Friday. Chris Short, Endemol U.K.’s head of new media, told the BBC that the Web site visitors are remaining glued to the site for long periods of time. “Session times in excess of 20 minutes are unprecedented for this type of project and it is a direct tribute to the entire content team that their work is proving so popular,” Short said.