Discussion of the Morality of Reality Television

604 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Negative effects of media influence

Discussion of the Morality of Reality Television Reality TV is were you get to watch members of the public or celebrity's perform tasks to win money or raise money for charity, at least that is what people say they go on it for. Reality TV is more so to do with gaining or upgrading the contestants celebrity status and there is no denying it, look what happened with peter André or Jade Goody, neither of them won their reality TV show but they are now both well known celebrities. Reality TV is extreamly popular with 10 million people tuning in every week, but why? And is it ok to watch what most people consider "private time". I personally think it Is bad TV because of the mindlessness of it, but people who take part in it know what they are signing up for and you dot have to watch it if you don't like it. 10 million people watch it every week to find out what is happening to their favourite reality TV characters, so there must be some appeal to it. I suppose you could say it appeals to everyone because it is real people, with no scripts and am unpredictable, but it doesn't appeal to me so I suppose you cant. I think the kind of people who like it are the kind of people who want to know what people are really like behind the face they put on, or nosy people. Then the people who don't like it are people who don't care much for watching people sit around talking. I also think people like to watch it because they like to think they are in control, this is backed up when Peter Bazalgette- the producer of big brother says 'now the viewers are in charge. They can flick their zapper in an instant, they can vote with there fingertips'. ... ... middle of paper ... ...ey choose what they say on the TV from what they said that day, kind of like multiple-choice scripts. So really it is the editors that choose what the people say and the producers that encourage the contestants to say it, I admit that it isn't as easy as what I make it out to be but that is the basic element of what is going on. In conclusion I think that reality TV is all a bit fake because of how much the producers and editors have to do with it, and I will continue to disagree with it and refuse to watch it. So I guess you can say I think it isn't morally rite, but I don't think it is so morally degrading it should be taken off the air because the people who go on it know what they are signing up for and how humiliating it can be so it is there own fault if anything embarrassing happens to them on national TV.

Show More
Related

  • Techniques used in Reality TV in Australia

    1478 Words  | 3 Pages

    The first wave of reality TV shows (such as Survivor, The Weakest Link and Dog Eat Dog) played on people's collective anxieties about the new workplace culture whereby nothing is secure. The threat of expulsion and humiliation is what draws people to this style of programming. This was followed by the lifestyle programs, which were the once removed cousins of Reality TV. Naturally no one is entirely satisfied with the way they live so these programs played on people's desires to improve their lifestyle and living conditions. The third wave of Reality shows (such as Joe Millionaire, The Bachelor and For Love or Money) plays with people's fears of falsified relationships; are there ulterior reasons behind a `supposed' loving relationship (such as money)? The main appeal of Reality television is that the viewer experiences raw human emotions like humiliation, deceit and rejection from a removed perspective. The ability to inspect and analyse the happenings of others without being seen takes on a god-like perspective. It invokes the fantasy of having access to all that is hidden.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Reality Television: Oxymoron By Jack Perry

    894 Words  | 2 Pages

    Will, he describes the workings of television and the ways that television has morphed over the years. According to George F. Will, television is all about imitation. In order to make “good” television people create shows off of other television shows and each time they put a spit on it to make it more and more interesting and shocking. He also argues that we are becoming more and more desensitized. Television shows are increasing the amount of violence, sexuality, and degradation and at the same time people aren’t as easily shocked as they once were. He also warned us by stating, “Imitation is the sincerest form of television” (293). In other words, the idea of imitation is what brings about the added shock factor. For example, in the article was the television show Fear Factor. Fear Factor was created based on the MTV show Jackass. Fear factor takes the basic concept of Jackass and adds different twists, not to mention money, to gain viewers and participants. Another example of television imitation is the NFL versus the XFL. NFL promised that viewers would see more violence and more cheerleaders’ breasts. However, I have mixed feelings on this particular topic. Yes, I feel that reality television can be degrading, humiliating, and even desensitizing, but I also believe it’s the person’s choice to either watch the shows or even be on them. The Hills, for example, is broadcast on MTV late in

    Read More

  • Reality Television And Racial Stereotypes

    1417 Words  | 3 Pages

    Reality based television has a broad landscape ranging from competitive game-like shows to programs following the daily lives of a group of people. Every major network now has some form of reality programming because these programs are high in viewership and require low costs for production. The genre’s shows provide audiences with a first-hand look into the lives of everyday people, which creates resonance among viewers because they feel like they can relate to the characters on screen (Hasinoff, 2008). Since the majority of modern reality stars start out as unknowns, frequent viewers of reality television have essentially bought into the belief that they too can achieve overnight fame by appearing on a popular show (Mendible, 2004). According to Mendible’s evaluation i...

    Read More

  • The Stress Caused by Nanny 911

    1065 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...sold worldwide. This makes teenagers and other young adults do unruly things to try and gain their own spot in the limelight. Even though reality television is supposed to be this great source of entertainment and may make us happy at the moment, if not watched carefully and really thought about it could ruin someone’s life with its negative values.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Joining The Military

    478 Words  | 1 Pages

    People can just get scared out there with their troop. There are many dangers to be scared of or maybe, you just don't like to be far from home. Being scared can cause you to flake out and that can get not only you but your

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Young Adults Join The Service

    495 Words  | 1 Pages

    Men joining the service at such a young age can harm them in many ways. The stress can cause them to be mentally unstable and fighting can lead to an early death. Making these young adults be in the service will make them less motivated to fight because they don’t want to be there. Also, they may not understand what is going on making them feel very confused and out of place. Overall, making these young adults joint he service and lead to a very stressful future.

    Read More

  • Argument Against Reality Television

    864 Words  | 2 Pages

    What pleasure do you get from watching a group of people humiliate themselves in the name of television? Media both in the UK and around. the world seems to have "discovered" that so-called "reality" shows are. very profitable, resulting in a growing string of such shows in recent years. years.

    Read More

  • Getting Real With Reality Tv Summary

    973 Words  | 2 Pages

    In today 's society, television is one of the greatest entertainment, and currently reality televisions have become the most commonly watched television programs. Reality tv, beside being entertaining , it has effected society in a negative

    Read More

  • Factors that Contribute to the Popularity of Reality Shows on TV

    886 Words  | 2 Pages

    This study examines voting – a feature of interaction and engagement of audience with reality television. The study aims to investigate which factors influencing on television viewers’ decision to vote and also provide an exploration on their psychological side which may be vital for understanding their interactive behaviors. In the context of greater interaction between the programs and its audiences has been stimulating by television producers, it is significant to research this interactive form of reality television that encourages deeper audience participation.

    Read More

  • Impact Of Reality Tv On Society

    758 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many reality TV shows are driving young kids to be driven by money and fame. Our reality television makes us seem ignorant to other countries. Young viewers of these reality TV shows do not realize that most of the shows are often scripted and are not “real”. Although the programming of reality TV can be highly entertaining, it is important to be aware of the messages, and values that these shows often portray. Since reality TV has such a strong foothold in American pop culture, it is likely not going anywhere or changing its content any time soon.

    Read More

  • How Reality TV has Affected Society

    1252 Words  | 3 Pages

    Reality Television has changed television in a way that no one could have imagined. Being the one of the most talked about genre in history, it is seen by millions of viewers. It has more ratings than any other kind of show (Breyer 16). From its start, there have been many Reality Television shows. Shows like The Real World, Survivor, Big Brother, and Jersey Shore. All of these give off a negative portrayal of reality. While Americans watch these shows, it seems that the show is real life, but in reality, no pun intended, before the show is even filmed, it’s written, edited, and produced (Breyer 21). Writers humiliate and degrade people just for the plot of the show, making their private lives public (Breyer 16).

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Civil Service

    850 Words  | 2 Pages

    Participating when you are not yet emotionally developed will help you develop rather than waiting until your ready. The real world doesn't wait for you to mature you have to take things into your own hands and prepare yourself for the future. When participating in a year of civil or military

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Reality Tv Shows

    1144 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this day and age, there isn’t hardly a person who doesn’t watch some form of reality television. Whether it is an adrenaline pumping baking competition, a talent based show with singing and dancing, or the pure entertainment of a day in the life of celebrities most everyone watches some form of reality television. There seems to be a few different sides of reality TV that make it so entertaining for people to watch. There seems to be the shows that lure people in because of the motivational aspect, the drama, or the deep down genuine appearance. However, most people are oblivious to the fact that the screen they are watching isn’t usually what actually happens in real life. James Poniewozik explains the manipulation going on behind the camera

    Read More

  • Essay About Reality Shows

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    Everything in life is not paid for with just a quick paycheck from an everyday job. These type of people are the ones who go through a lot of tough breaks, whether it be finding a way to pay for everyday for themselves or needing the money to support a child. The whole point of these reality shows would be showing us as an audience, that some shows give off ideas in the brain such as pawning for money ,and others show that it can be worse than others, like raising a child. People who watch these kinds of shows are getting a huge kick out of what others do not, as in money. In America these type of shows are popular because they are feeding of people 's minds, and showing the start of people’s hardship lives.

    Read More

  • Reality Television's Influence On Culture

    1212 Words  | 3 Pages

    Reality television has become nearly unavoidable and American society is more affected by reality television than they realize. Society can be shaped from reality TV in many ways like the way people act, and also the way people can perceive a problem. I never really could have thought just some of the stuff we watch on television like Big Brother, could be impacting us in any way. I always thought the reason people said reality television is bad for us was because we would get addicted and not want to leave the couch. I started to research reality television by looking up what could be the potential impact and I was shocked by the results that were good and bad. Coming from the article by John Perritano he says “Many say reality TV has put

    Read More

More about Discussion of the Morality of Reality Television

Open Document