Every day, millions of people turn on their televisions to indulge in a wide variety of shows, the most popular choice being some form of reality television. This catch-all genre is somewhere between information and entertainment and contains all types of programming involving everyday individuals. Some debate that this type of programming is senseless and debased, where others view it as amusing as well as enlightening. Regardless of which side a person may agree with, there is still one undeniable fact: reality television is here to stay. The target audience, the cost of production, and the ability to give the viewer an outlet are three main reasons why this is possible.
Though many people of all ages enjoy viewing different reality television shows, the majority are marketed towards teenagers and young adults. Shows like the Real World, American Idol, and Dancing with the Stars and many others are all supported by hundreds of websites regarding hidden facts, merchandise, news about certain cast members, as well as other fan activities. (Hill 5) There are even episode summaries for those who may not have been able to catch it at the time in which it was aired. By utilizing other aspects of communication, reality television is able to keep a firm hold on the younger community who thrive off of all things internet-accessible. In addition to being able to access reality television via internet, research has shown that many of the preteen to teenage viewers base most of their decisions and prioritize things based off what they see every night on their favorite shows. In 2011, a survey of over 1000 American girls between 11 and 17 was held. Those who viewed more reality television most often put a higher value on things emphasized on...
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...ratings are, the more there will be a need for cheap production ideas to sell. Because reality television doesn’t require the extra production crews or writing staff, it will always be the first choice. By casting regular, everyday people, viewers will always have that next best character to relate to or emulate. So will reality television be phasing itself out anytime soon? The facts speak for themselves.
Works Cited
Hill, Annette. Reality TV : Audiences And Popular Factual Television. London: Routledge, 2005. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
Weller, Chris. "Welcome To My Un-Reality." Newsweek Global 162.6 (2014): 106-110. MasterFILE Elite. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
"Reality Television." Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 11 Jan. 2008. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. .
Reality shows sent a much-needed lifeline to the television networks industry. These shows have found a new way to bring much needed viewers, and even more important they brought in much needed money. The money came rolling into CBS after premiering Survivor, which brought in a profit of around $30,000,000 to the network. Even though Survivor is the must costly reality show, costing close to one million dollars to produce and hour of programming. In comparison to other shows, which cost far more like CBS’s series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” which cost over 1.6 million to produce per hour. With the amount of money coming in such large sums to networks have had to close monitor how much is being spent. Clearly’ the reality shows have brought in much needed assets to the flattering television networks.
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If T.V. news or radio have morphed into reality shows, then it is only a reflection of the viewers. As a former news reporter, the author should understand that the success
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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.