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Reality television shows impact society
Reality television shows impact society
Reality television shows impact society
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Reality Television Programs: “How Real is Reality?”
Lights flashing, cameras clicking, and lavish lifestyle – all equal reality television shows? Wrong. Imagine your walk out to your mail box: pajamas, slippers, and a mug of coffee. You grab your newspaper and T.V. Guide to head inside to start your daily routine. This is a real-life situation that would fit within the boundaries of the definition of the word “reality”. No one would click record or devote time in their day to watch someone do something they could personally experience themselves. Yet, chances are the guide you just grabbed somehow contains lists upon lists of differing reality T.V. shows. How is this possible? Reality television stretches the title “reality” just a bit too far as they have been accused of providing scripts, staging and editing “real” life situations, dramatizing and influencing how cast members behave, and promoting unethical values for a monetary gain. Any group or organization, no matter the size or amount of money they wield would be able to take down this multi-billion dollar genre, yet if viewers and producers around the programs would take the shows for what they are, entertainment programs, then it would reduce the amount of deceitfulness surrounding it .
All you have to do is Google the definition of “Reality Television” to find what makes a television program fit into the vague genre of Reality T.V. Wikipedia defines the genre as being “…a genre of television programming that documents unscripted situations and actual occurrences, and often features a previously unknown cast…”(Wikipedia). Bing, Google, and Yahoo dictionaries all referenced the words to a similar definition. This means that anything that lies outside the boundaries of...
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...otest the very next day. Record numbers tune into the numerous channels that air Reality Television shows, so isn’t it hypocritical to bash them at the same time that their DVR is already pre-set to record them? Yes; even I, myself, am subject to doing the very same thing. Reality television may cause serious problems, but it just needs to be seen and viewed for what is actually is; fictional entertainment (TIMES). The differences between a fictional movie found in theaters and “The Simple Life with Paris Hilton” are actually slim to none. Maybe instead of being deemed evil and immoral Reality Television needs to be better categorized because after being accused of providing scripts, staging and editing “real” life situations, dramatizing and influencing how cast members behave, and promoting unethical values for a monetary gain it is hardly reality at all.
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.
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.
How Reality TV affects the audience and the characters who were participating into it? Does it really give knowledge to people who were watching and supporting? Or is it just the sake of money and exposing their appearance on television? When it comes to watching television, people at home can choose which types of program they want to want for many reasons. Some people look to television for inspiration; others want to be kept informed about their surroundings and the world. In the article entitled, “Reality TV and Culture” by Jack Perry, he argues, there are some good points to how reality television are formed and offered. Perry explains that, not all of the shows are designed to encourage and promote dangerous and unrealistic. However,
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...
...s of image, misleading, and popularity have influenced the thoughts of people who watch reality shows. To me reality shows such as jersey shore, the housewives series have influenced as to how i see people who have the money are stuck up and have no idea what is really important to the world. That alot of Americans were embarassed to have those people represent the United States. I am embarrased that we as Americans, wach reality shows of other people who are no diffrent from we are and give them so much attenion for simply being broadcasted for misleading me how easy life is for them than for those who try to make a difference or that just beacause how popular they are with the younger genreation. We as people should give the image of trying to make our world better place for he not so forunate bu ae living pretty well, but for those who are not fortunae at all.
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...
Television does much more then entertains its viewers. Reality shows has given the American people a bad reputation. The reality shows that Americans watch every day are also shown all over the world. For example, shows like Jersey Shore, The Real House Wives, Keeping up with the Kardashians, Hunny Boo Boo, and Duck Dynasty is representing Americans. The rest of the world sees Americans as childish, aggressive, spoiled, rich, dumb, disgusting, or/and as red necks.
Can you honestly say, that after absorbing the reality rubbish, you have. learned something about the sandbox Educational, stimulating, witty, are all adjectives you would not. associated with reality television. Reality TV is a case of vegetating. in front of the screen and glazing gormlessly at a group of half-hearted celebrities as they involve themselves in†a deep.
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
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.
Throughout history, there have been many different genres of television shows. The genre that has affected society the most is Reality TV. Reality Television has changed television because it tells society about things like sexuality and violence. These have not been put on air in the past. But some situations they are in are not exactly as real as they may look.
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
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.
One of the main reasons for watching reality TV is to provide people with entertainment. To an extent, the majority of society has a desire to explore what goes on in the world around them. People like watching drama that occurs on public television. “Insults, temper tantrums, selfishness, gross behavior, and plain old stupidity- these are the main ingredients for most of today’s reality TV shows. Guess who is watching them? Millions of viewers just like you” (Cohen). “Viewers cannot seem to get enough of the torture, embarrassment, temptation, and above all, drama of other regular, everyday people being placed in unrealistic settings and manipulated for the world to see” (Pontius). These two quotes state that the reason that the majority of our society watches these shows, is that they are entertained by the supposed reality that is portrayed.