In this day and age there isn’t hardly a person who doesn’t watch some form of reality television. Whether it be 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 to 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 …show more content…
I also found that the age of the viewer is not always a direct tie to their answer either. A nineteen year old college student had the exact same favorite reality TV show as a fifty two year old consultant. “The Voice” seems to be a very popular show recently among those of all ages. For some, like the two in the study, they love music and a good laugh, and that’s why this happens to be their favorite. The majority of the people in my study seemed to find the shows they were watching comical. They also either had a passion for the people in the show or it gave them a motivation to participate in something bigger than themselves. A very popular answer among my question of a favorite reality television show was “Teen Mom.” The Four participants that said “Teen Mom” was their favorite were all girls from the age of eight teen to twenty two. When asked why is was their favorite, the most popular answer was because of the entertainment they got out of it. The drama is so intense and it’s interesting to see how different their lives are now because of it. Although the girls that watched “Teen Mom” said they did it because of entertainment, there was a very general answer from every person when asked why they like to watch reality television. The most popular answer was that they find it strictly
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.
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...
American actress, Lisa Bonet, once said, “What saddens me is the corruption of youth and beauty, and the loss of soul, which is only replaced by money.” Today’s television shows are decaying into more polluted and inappropriate ideas, which are then presented worldwide. This is a negative influence on not only young people, but also society as a whole. How can it be expected of youth today to be appropriate role models to future generations with such corrupt influences? With the filth, dishonesty, and abuse of freedom of speech, reality television ultimately does more harm on today’s society than good.
The way that reality TV portrays reality is completely misleading. It is giving the public what they want in a very unethical way, by completely lying about how they reach a “truth”. The people behind the scenes of reality have found a way to perfectly edit everything that the public sees so it keeps only the “juicy stuff” (Crouch pg 1). Often times, producers of competition shows will step in if the plan was to eliminate someone that is good for ratings (Crouch pg 4). Building shows often lie about needed skills, prices and the amount of time it takes for projects (Crouch pg 5). Anytime that shows have “big surprises” it is almost entirely staged because there’s such a complicated process needed for dramatic shots and lighting ...
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...
Cynthia M. Frisby, in her article "Getting Real with Reality TV", analyze reasons why audiences are attracted to reality television programs. According to Frisby, reality television shows have captivate audiences because, apparently people enjoy watching other people 's lives, and they can compare themselves and lives with others. Different people in society see reality tv in different ways: some see it as something to lift it, in either way reality affect society both positively and negatively.
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).
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.
I also found that the age of the viewer is not always a direct tie to their answer either. A nineteen year old college student had the exact same favorite reality TV show as a fifty two year old consultant. “The Voice” seems to be a very popular show recently among those of all ages. For some, like the two in the study, they love music and a good laugh, and that’s why this happens to be their favorite. The majority of the people in my study seemed to find the shows they were watching comical. They also either had a passion for the people in the show or it gave them a motivation to participate in something bigger than themselves. A very popular answer among my question about a favorite reality television show was “Teen Mom.” The Four participants that said “Teen Mom” was their favorite were all girls from the age of eight teen to twenty two. When asked why is was their favorite, the most popular answer was because of the entertainment they got out of it. The drama is so intense and it’s interesting to see how different their lives are now because of it. Although the girls that watched “Teen Mom” said they did it because of entertainment, there was a very general answer from every person when asked why they like to watch reality television. The most popular answer was that they find it strictly
Reality Television is found interesting because of its distinctive attributes. Every different reality television show appeals to different viewers because of what it is about. One may watch a show to see a difficult family lifestyle, others because of the actors wealth, and lastly for something one may say they do not want but do; drama. Reality shows show a variety of social classes, different genres have different social classes. Dramas show people of high classes, Sitcoms tend to show middle class, and daytime television has working class people. These reality television shows use these techniques to bring in audiences and viewers.
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.
Reality television has been around since 1948. Over the past decade, reality TV has seen a dramatic rise in popularity. Today, you can turn on the television and there is a chance that a reality TV show will be on. Reality television is a big part of American’s lives today. There are reality shows starting from relationships, drama, entertainment, to cooking, fitness, sports, and many more. According to a recent study by the Girl Scouts Institute, “Forty-seven percent of girls and young women say they are regular viewers, with thirty percent saying they sometimes watch it." It also reports, “eighty-six percent believe these shows often put girls against each other to make the shows more exciting, and seventy percent say they make people think it is ok to treat each other badly.” Reality television has affected society greatly by encouraging violent behavior, it elevates imprudent personalities, and depicting women of their values.
Have you ever wondered why people are so addicted to watching their favorite shows on TV? Have you ever wondered why reality TV is so popular? This paper is an explanation of why large numbers of people watch reality TV shows. Proof and facts will be provided showing that reality TV provides entertainment, inspiration, the stirring of emotions, vicarious living, and a substitute for social life for many who watch. Here are a few examples of these statements.