Media producers all around the world have discovered that so called “Reality Television” programs are the key to maximising viewer bases and therefore profits. It is undisputed that Reality Television makes money. This has resulted in immense amounts of these programs being plastered across our screens. While these programs line the pockets of producers and companies, they are not necessarily beneficial to their audiences and the society we live in. Reality Television programs of today promote schadenfreude, which is “the joy or pleasure derived from the plight and misery of others”. Are suffering and conflict some not of the main themes in the Reality Shows we watch today? Schadenfreude plays a huge role in the unscrupulous yet incredibly addictive nature of the genre. The sad fact is, the majority of us spend “roughly one third of our spare time watching television and Reality Shows make up 67% of this”. These shows are aired on nearly every channel simply because we watch them. We like to watch others suffer. So what is it in our nature that causes us to derive pleasure from watching others suffer? There is undoubtedly catharsis involved but surely that can be achieved through fiction. So if not catharsis, could it merely be the fact that we are able to escape the reality of our own mundane lives and feel better about ourselves? Or maybe, just maybe there is something wired deep within us all that simply likes to watch others suffer; an evil vein, a genetic predisposition. This could link back to the caveman times when life revolved around “survival of the fittest” and therefore ridding society of the weak. But let’s face it, we are not cavemen anymore. Though we like to think we are sophisticated, moral people, the human rac... ... middle of paper ... ...licly exploit, suffer and humiliate themselves and the rest of us can just sit back and laugh at their idiocy what is this saying about society today? Where do our morals and principles truly lie? Perhaps we deem this type of behaviour acceptable because it is packaged up and shoved through our screens. But the fact is it is not acceptable, especially if people are really going to mimic the behaviour and attitudes shown on Reality Television shows. If people are going to cheat and lie, pick fights with whoever will react and intentionally exploit the privacy of others, society is headed towards one steep, downward spiral. Should “Reality” Television not be portraying themes and behaviour from reality itself, instead of the other way round? If that is not the case then Reality Television is becoming less and less “Television” and essentially more just our “Reality”.
Untasteful, feral, depraved viewing; Euphemism for palpable voyeurism; Is spelling the end of decent, moral society - Slagging out reality TV from a high culture standpoint is as easy as taking candy from a blind, paralysed, limbless baby. Reality TV is a significant part of popular culture in the current settings of mainstream Australian society. Counting the number of reality television shows on two hands is now a physical impossibility. But what impact is this concept having on society now and into the future?
Do you know the guiltiest pleasure of the American public? Two simple words reveal all—reality TV. This new segment of the TV industry began with pioneering shows like MTV’s The Real World and CBS’s Survivor. Switch on primetime television nowadays, and you will become bombarded by and addicted to numerous shows all based on “real” life. There are the heartwarming tales of childbirth on TLC, melodramas of second-rate celebrities on Celebrity Mole, and a look into a completely dysfunctional family on The Osbornes. Yet, out of all these entertaining reality shows arises the newest low for popular culture, a program based on the idea of a rich man or woman in search of the perfect marriage partner. The Bachelor, and its spin-off The Bachelorette, exemplify capitalist ideology founded on the Marxist base-superstructure model and establish the role of an active American audience.
In today 's generation, millions of television shows have been created to entertain the general public. Whether it be cartoons, dramas, comedies, chick flicks, or reality t.v., I guarantee there is a show that each person enjoys watching. One particular genre appears to be the most viewed from a television screen, which is reality television. It is evident that the general population enjoys watching lives unfold and the various interactions between characters in reality television. For example, in Keeping Up With The Kardashians, the main characters in the family, (Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, Kris, Bruce (Caitlyn), Kylie, and Kendall) all fight like cats and dogs and stay angry at each other over something incredibly minute. The extent to which this show is dramatized is
Poniewozik, James. “What’s Right With Reality TV.” Time 175.7 (2010): 92-97. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 May 2013.
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 the genre’s shows are high in viewership and require low costs for production. The genre is appealing to viewers because it provides them with a first-hand look into the lives of everyday people, which allows them to observe social behavior that helps them determine what is appropriate or not (Tyree, 2011, p. 397). Since the majority of modern reality stars start out as unknowns, frequent viewers of reality programming believed that fame is obtainable if they appear on a popular show (Mendible, 2004). According to Mendible’s evaluation of the genre in the article Humiliation, Subjectivity, and Reality TV, people enjoy reality programs beca...
The first effect of reality shows is the image it gives viewers. Reality shows give misconceptions of everyday life; the Real World and Jersey Shore show young adults relaxing, having a good time, and partying every day. The...
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...
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
Whenever we think of reality television shows we think of Kim Kardashian and her latest boyfriend or the endless drama between the women in The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. To remark that women will constantly go from boyfriend to boyfriend or constantly insult and slander other women, which one may radically argue as a concept ingrained into reality; is rather severely stretching it? Could what we see in these “reality” shows morph our sense of what is normal? Why would reality shows be so dramatic if they were trying to emulate reality? If reality shows are so unrealistically dramatic, then why are people are trying to meet the unrealistic standards on the show? We heard frightening stories of women becoming anorexic or even suicidal
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).
He holds a master’s degree in American history from Western Connecticut State University. In this article Perritano argues that reality television is good and bad in many ways. Perritano goes on to say that reality television is bad because it is so overwhelming for the audience and the contestants because they are all hoping for instant fame. Perritano does not believe that reality television is completely bad for us and actually has its upsides. He believes that reality television can be useful for viewers and can raise awareness to certain cases that are shown on
Since the very first reality show launching in 1990, the reality genre has rapidly developed to become the most popular experience of television nowadays. A plethora of research has been undertaking in recent years to identify the origin of reality shows’ appeal which concentrated mainly on the psychological side such as the theory of human motivations called ‘16 basic desires’ which linking the most fundamental purposes of human life to aspirations with their attention to media conducted by Reiss and Wiltz (2004) or the element of mastery sense named ‘schadenfreude’ introduced by Hall (2006).
According to Shannon Kelly, reality television has the worst reputation of any type of television programming. Reality tv has gotten bad ratings and reviews due to its violence, profanity, racism, behavior, etc. if these shows had regulations, there wouldn’t be so much negative feedback upon them. “Complaints about the amount of ‘reality’ that is actually a part of reality television, is not the only issue the genre has to contend with.” (Reality TV 62)
The creation of television broadcasting changed the way the world interacted, making it one of the most successful and important innovation. The Entertainment industry brought Reality TV to America, changing and evolving along with the changes in society. The concept of Reality TV is to show the struggles of real people or actors without scripts, surprising, and terrifying many of its viewers. The television content has changed over the years reflecting the changes in society; the Reality Shows are becoming more obscene, controversial, and competitive.
Lehmann, Carolin. “Reality TV: A Blessing or a Curse? An Analysis of the Influence of Reality TV on U.S. Society.” Academia. Edu 5 Nov. 2012. 29 Nov. 2013.