Frisby Reality Tv Essay

Reality TV is a growing, very popular genre of programming as Cynthia M. Frisby details in her article. In a world where pop culture is expanding every day, it is no surprise that reality TV shows have also seen a rise to popularity. As Frisby states in the article, “It is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid contact with reality TV these days,”(para. 4). This quote alone is very telling of just how prominent reality TV is becoming in todays society.
Often times, reality TV is cast in a bad light because of the explicit material and immoral values the programs are said to show. While there are negatives, there also are positives than can be taken from reality TV. One positive thing that can be taken from these shows is that it helps people learn from the mistakes of others. If you watch programs such as Hoarding: Buried Alive, or Catfish, you will learn to better prepare yourself to avoid these situations. Another

In the article, Frisby seems to lean more towards the positive side of reality TV saying “So, while viewers realize they are not America’s Top Next Model… they do enjoy the fact that, through vicarious social comparison process, they can fall in love, win $1,000,000 or get the office snitch fired.”(para. 15). However, reality TV is often fairly explicit and can be considered immoral. Often times in the past, being pregnant as a teenage girl was considered taboo and cast in a negative light in society. Yet, with shows like 16 and Pregant, it is almost encouraged to live a life similar to those on the program because you will get your own reality TV show! Often times, these programs will also exploit their stars and prey on them for being emotionally distraught or depressed because the drama brings the ratings. Not only can these shows be potentially harmful to the viwer’s moral viewpoint, but it can also be harmul to the “stars” emotional