ReaLity TeleVision

"Loving to Hate Reality TV"

2006-05-03T10:24:00.000-05:00

Throughout the semester, I have been writing about different reality programs, some effects of reality shows, and trends within the reality television business. Well, one trend that I have noticed that has prevailed in many of the blogs I have written is that reality television is continuing to be very popular and is not on the down fall anytime soon. In an article titled "Loving to Hate Reality TV" (May 3,2006) by Dino-Ray Ramos states that according to "a survey by PollingPoint.com, almost half of our nation's younger generation watches more reality television than last year. Eighteen to 25-year-olds watch close to four reality shows a week." Also, the "over 55 'category' keep up with at least two reality shows a week." So, reality television is strongly popular with a wide variety of ages because of all of the different kinds of reality shows available. At first when I read the statistics, I didn't really agree with the whole four reality shows a week for my age group; I thought that there was no way that I would watch that many in one week, but as I recalled all of the reality shows I was presently watching, I realized that reality shows do consume a mass amount of my television viewing time, especially shows on MTV. Also within the article, Ramos stated that "RTV (reality TV) is a form of therapy to escape our own version of reality" because when watching reality shows, we "live vicariously through the "characters" on the show". We may really hate the characters and the way they act or because all of the drama they bring to the show, but these are the characters that make the show worth watching just to see what they will do next, or sometimes they remind us of people we know, so we connect with the show.

This article brought some great insight into the connection of the American people and their "addiction" to reality television. So, for my last blog, I would just like to leave you with a quote from the article that I felt made me really thing about what reality television is doing to people and families; "the days of wholesome family fun have turned into nothing but a bunch of competitions, shallow arguments, and a landfill of D-list celebrity garbage to provide water cooler talk the next day. Either this type of television is an evolution in entertainment or a devolution of American culture."

Article available at http://www.alternet.org/wiretap/35760/

National Spelling Bee

2006-05-02T21:39:00.000-05:00

For all of the reality television lovers out there, ABC will be hosting an "original reality TV" show on its prime time slot. This so called "reality show" has been around for "seventy-nine years" and this will be the "first time it will air in a prime time slot" for all of the viewing public to watch. So, what is this long time running "reality show"; it is none other than the National Spelling Bee. It might not seem like a typical reality show, but it still has the true life drama of children struggling to spell difficult words in order to be deemed the Spelling Bee champion, win some really cool prize and receive scholarship money. America will get a true look into what a spelling bee means for these children and how competitive the playing field is. I think that while it might not sound like the most exciting type of reality show, it is a true reality show; there is no editing done or participants paid to act a certain way. What you see is the actual event happening, none of the drama or participants answered are previously planned out. I think that this demonstrates that it is in fact a very truthful reality show unlike most of the reality shows that are broadcasted today.

Article: "National Spelling Bee comes to prime time" found at http://msnbc.com/id/12601027/

"Global reality TV market"

2006-04-28T10:20:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, in an article titled UO conference examines global reality TV market by Jennifer McBride, it was stated that there was a "three-day conference on globalization and television...to discuss the international popularity of reality TV". Realtiy television has become such a big phenomena not only in the United States but all around the world. Many of the popular reality shows that have appeared in the U.S. have now been made into spin-offs for reality shows in many different countries. Reality television has been expanding into many new countries and continues to be a huge medium in countries like the U.S. and Great Britian, which are swamped with new and returning reality series. Within the article, a Fox executive was quoted with saying that "creating reality television was so easy and profitable it was "like broadcasting with a safety net"." Also, Jennifer McBride stated that it was "popular among producers because of its recognizability, its minimal cost and its low production time". So, not only are reality shows super popular with there viewing audience, but they are strongly favored by production companies-this is why so many people have implemented reality television to places all over the world. This goes to show that reality television is only on the uprise right now and it could be awhile before it loses its popularity.

Article available at: http://www.dailyemerald.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/04/25/444dec9ec3dac

"God or the Girl"

2006-04-26T11:38:00.000-05:00

Reality television has now been invaded by religion. In an article titled 'God or the Girl': Catholic Priesthood hits reality TV by Catherine Hours states that a new reality show has been created; it features "four aspiring young Catholic priests" in their "final four weeks before they decide...to take the vow of chastity". According to the channel that this new reality series will air on, A and E cable channel, this show will be about "the ultimate struggle between the choices of two goods". So, what could be the possible reasons that the church would want to team up with the world of reality television? As stated by Catherine Hours, "the show has given the church an opportunity to advertise itself to a new audience". Even the church is using the popular medium of reality television to try and attract new members. I guess I never really thought of a church using a television show to advertise itself to an audience, but as mentioned by Robert Thompson, a Syracuse University Professor, "a reality show about joining priesthood is more marketable then a documentary because reality TV people can more readily manipulate reality that documentary makers". So, the church is just figuring out that by using the popular medium, they are able to market themselves more sucessfully to the public; this really shows the direction and effects that reality television is taking its audience.

The article is available at: http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__international_news/&articleid=270159

"The Apprentice" and Capitalism

2006-04-20T22:27:00.000-05:00

In an article posted on the site http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/ states that "Japanese won't have its own version of "The Apprentice" because of its "distinictive form of capitalism"." The fact that the Japanese refuse to allow a reality show that resembles "The Apprentice" shows that reality shows have a great effect on their viewers. In the article, the main reason why the Japanese are not allowing such a program is because it goes against their beliefs. By showing this reality show to the citizens, it could change the citizen's current belief on the capitalism issue and in turn, change the type of government or the government's power. Reality television has a great effect on people all over the world who view it, and this example shows how reality television could effect the way a country runs its economy and the lengths that a nation will go to to avoid having such a reality show shown within their country. In conclusion, reality television is able to change viewers ideas or viewpoints on specific topics; it is also a very powerful tool when it comes to presenting certain ideas and viewpoints.

eBay and Reality Television

2006-04-19T15:21:00.000-05:00

In an article titled "eBay Makes Bid for Reality TV, Primetime Show Will Air on ABC" by David Goetzl (Media Daily News, April 19, 2006) states that the "internet auction giant eBay is entering television production as a partner in a new ABC reality show...'Make It Happen'". The teaming up of an internet site and television company really shows the sucess that reality television continues to have and also how profitable reality television is for companies willing to give it a shot. For eBay, they are using their internet auction site as part of the reality show by having people donate items and then having those same items auctioned off to whom ever bids on them. The money made from the auctioned off items is given to people to help reach their dream. The main hope of this reality show for eBay is to get more people to visit their auction site and bid on items featured on the site. This is the big pay off for companies who associate themselves with reality shows-more publicity and a chance to expand themselves by using a reality show.

Article available at http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=42425

Identifying with Reality Shows

2006-04-14T20:08:00.000-05:00

In a book titled "Reality TV" in an article Teenagers Identify with the Issues Presented in Reality TV Shows by David Hiltbrand states that two reasons why teenagers are readily able to identify with reality shows are because the shows are "short" and "often deal with relationships and rejection." So, teenagers are being drawn into the world of reality television because they can easily relate to the emotions and situations of the reality show stars, like trying to avoid rejection by making friends and/or alliances. Also in the article, David Hiltbrand quotes that the "top three of four shows watched by teens" are reality programs. This statisic really shows the effect of reality television on teenagers and the fact that reality television is greatly consumed by teenagers today. So, there must be something about reality shows that make them able to pull in such a large group of teenagers, and that would be the fact that they are able to identify with reality show contestants which makes the reality show more enjoyable and realistic.

"On the Lot"

2006-04-12T11:04:00.000-05:00

According to Lynn Elber in an article titled "Speilberg is getting into reality TV business" (www.sltrib.com), "Even Steven Spielberg can't resist the lure of reality television." That's right, Steven Spielberg will be entering the reality television world by teaming up with Mark Burnett for a reality show known as "On the Lot". This reality show will be "a competition in which the winner receives a studio deal." "On the Lot" will appear on Fox television and will also include the chance for TV viewers to determine which aspiring director will be going home and missing out on the "studio deal". Once again, this reality show sounds a lot like that of "American Idol", but considering all of the hype and viewer ratings of "American Idol", it's no wonder that this reality show is following the same format because it is a very sucessful format. I do find it interesting that this show is trying to discover great directors, and I think that it will actually be a good reality show because no other show has been in search of directors and many go unrecognized. So, it would be interesting to see how this show plays out and to learn more about the position of a director, and with Steven Speilberg helping out with this show, it is bound to be a sucess.

Denver, Colorado?

2006-04-06T10:53:00.000-05:00

Just about everyone from the midwest has heard of Denver, Colorado and it's not a far away place. Well, now Denver, CO will serve as the host place for the eighteenth season of the "Real World" according to denverpost.com in an article A New Reality for Denver: MTV's "Real World" Comming. When thinking of the "Real World", I always imagine that it takes place in bigger cities by the ocean, so this is quite a change for the longest running reality show. I do think that it is a good idea to choose a place like Denver because many people not familar with the area are uncertain what the city looks like and what it has to offer. This reality show will really push Denver into the spotlight. This is the payoff with reality shows, when they host in a certain city, they allow the city to be glorified and spotlighted on television with a popular show. This allows people to view the attributes of the city and become a little more familiar with a place that they didn't know much about.

Reality TV & Bullying

2006-04-05T11:30:00.000-05:00

Reality television is having a strange effect on many young viewers, the text bullying effect. This is currently being looked at in New Zealand where many people feel that reality shows pertain the "responsibillity of the rising tide of text bullying." In an article "Reality TV_a bully's charter" featured in The Daily News (New Plymouth, New Zealand) written by Chris Trotter on March 17, 2006, he states that "reality television programmes invariably encourage participants to vote the weakest mebers off the show....the social darwism." So, as more and more young people view show where the weak are kicked off and only the strong will survive till the end, they begin to start bullying the "weaker" young people based on this idea that only the "stonger" people are better. Even though bullying has been around for all of time, the increase in the "text bullying" is an effect that reality television has had on younger people because on some shows, like American Idol, the people text their vote for their favorite contestant. Now, people use their texting for other way, like bullying. Reality shows continue to reinforce to young people that only the strongest/best player will survive, and this is causing people to use that theory more and more in their everyday life because they view the effects of social Darwism often because of the increase in reality television.

Positive Influence

2006-03-30T16:35:00.000-06:00

In an article by James Poniewozik titled "Reality TV has a Positive Influence on Society", he stated on the issue of reality telvision that "what people are really responding to on these show is people pursuing their dreams." Watching ordinary people in extreame situations working towards a goal is what inspires people to actually want to watch the show. We like watching reality shows because these people are kind of like us in the way that they must work towards achieving a goal; things aren't just given to them. So, maybe this aspect of reality television does have a positive influence on its viewers. In some ways, the message being sent is to keep trying and pursuing to reach a goal. When reality television is viewed in such a way, it at least gives somewhat of a positive light to the reality series, making it seem a little more like reality.

Choosing Contestants

2006-03-29T11:09:00.000-06:00

Have you ever wondered how reality television shows choose their contestants? Sure, we all know that many shows have people send in audition tapes for their chance to appear on a reality show, but there is much more to go through than just creating an audition tape. In Keith Hoolihan's article "Manufacturing Reality-The Omarosa Experiment" (www.themorningnews.org), he talks with different reality contestants about how they were chosen for their reality series. He interviewed Solovey who stated that he had to go to an open casting call where he answered questions from the casting people. This is only the first stage because then the show has call backs for their potential reality stars. During this whole time, the people auditioning sign a non-disclosure so they can not speak of the process and many of them are uncertain of exactly what is happening or how close they are to getting picked. The people auditioning are chosen by their personality-how they stand out or how they will fit in with the show and interact with other contestants. Before the person can be an official contestant for the show, they must be interviewed by psychologists who "determine how they will react" once they are placed on the show. Once they are assesed by the psychologists, they can then be placed as a contestant on a reality show. So, this is the grueling process that potential contestants must go through before they can get their 15 minutes of fame.

Cultural Effects

2006-03-23T20:41:00.000-06:00

Many different things affect our culture everyday, and some even eventually change our culture. One of the reasons why reality television is more popular with people compared to sitcoms is due to the fact that the people are real; they are not just playing a part or reading off a script. According to Carman Neustaedter in her article "Reality TV", she states that people enjoy watching reality television because they can relate to the "moral and ethical viewpoints...or controversial acts" of the people on reality shows. She went on to say that "Reality television is presented as reality and in connection so are the values and messages it presents....realtiy television is selling a cultural norm not the program." After reading the article, I would have to say that I agree with it because reality television is a lot more real than sitcoms which makes it easier for people to relate to the shows. I had never thought about reality tv selling a cultural norm, but it makes sense because it is relating to real people and their different viewpoints or ways they act in certain situations.

"Unan1mous"

2006-03-22T11:13:00.000-06:00

Has reality television hit a new low point? Well, it would appear that way due to the new Fox reality show airing later tonight, Unan1mous. According to Hal Boedeker, a Sentinel Television Critic,posted on March 22, 2006, this new reality show takes nine strangers, puts them in "hot, stuffy conditions" where they must all unanimously decide which one will walk away with the 1.5 million dollars. The catch is that the player's secrets are revealed which makes people not want to pick them because one player has "lied about bankruptcy" while another player has "spent time in a psychiatric center". The longer it takes the players to decide who will receive the money, the money starts dwindling away with each minute it takes them to decide. Finally, no one can decide that they just want to give up and leave because if they do, then the money will automatically be split in half. After reading the article and viewing commercials for this new reality show, I felt that it was a waste of time to put such a show on the air. The show is centered around people arguing with eachother, lying, and somehow trying to decide which one person deserves the money the most. Personally, I think that the people on this reality show probably don't deserve the money more than people who are battling with such things as serious medical conditions or homelessness. This money would be better spent trying to aide medical researchers in trying to improve medicine or putting it towards our country's education department to improve schools for children. So, maybe reality television has hit a new low with deciding to give someone a load of money for doing nothing except argue with eight other people in an enclosed room.

Reality TV as Politician Training?

2006-03-16T09:57:00.000-06:00

March 16, 2006, The Morning Call Online (http://www.mcall.com/news/) posted an article called "Reality TV could be good training for a politician". I found the article very interesting because it conveyed the way that being on a reality televison show was not much unlike being a politician. Their inspiration for this article was from the latest Apprentice contestant, Frank Devlin who has decided that he will run for a Congress position in his area. According to the article, the similarities between reality television contestants and political figures include: the fact that both get their most embarrassing and dramatic moments aired on televison whether it be on the reality show or the news, both have to be continuously friendly, entergetic, and appeal to the public, they each have to build up so called "alliances" to have more power in their corner, and both must have "a strong desire to win". So, both reality contestants and politicians appear to need the same traits to achieve their desired future whether it be a political seat or winning a million dollars, but does this really mean that they can interchange their positions...a show contestant deciding to now represent the people in his state? I think that the contestants need the proper training to become politician; just because they share the same traits as a politician does not mean that they have the same knowledge on how to get things done for the people in their political position. On the other hand, seeing as an Apprentice contestant is running for office, I think that he probably has more educational backround to be able to fill a political position, but that's not to say that every reality star has the right qualities to become a politician.

"American Inventor"

2006-03-15T15:49:00.000-06:00

Is America ready for the next big reality show? Well, according to the Business Wire-Expert Source Group (article available at http://home.businesswire.com/) who just released an article, "Experts Available to Discuss New Reality Show "American Inventor"", on March 15, 2006, ABC will be having a new reality show called American Inventor. After reading the article about what the show will contain, it sounded quite a bit like an American Idol spin off because the show is having auditions in seven cities, but instead of singing, the contestants will present a creation to a panal of not three, but four judges whom will decide if it is good enough for them to go to the next round. In the end, the viewer will decide who is the winner after viewing a commercial created by the finalists who are trying to "sell their invention". The reason why the show seems to be so closely related to American Idol is because the executive producer is none other than American Idol's judge, Simon Cowell. So, inventors will finally get their chance to shine on television in their new reality show, hopefully it will be as entertaining as the American Idol show.

"The Real World"

2006-03-02T13:17:00.000-06:00

This Tuesday (February 28), the much anticipated reality show, The Real World, made its 17th season debute. According to Troy Patterson in his news article "House Arrest" appearing on slate.com, he claims that "reality tv isn't just a trend or a genre but an option. Spending a few months on The Real World is simply a thing that an elite corps of young adults does...they have been waiting 14 years for these 15 minutes." So, Troy claims that it is a personal option to watch the shows just like it is a personal option on whether to apply to be a part of the show. Also in his article, he points out how the cast of the show hasn't really changed that much since its first 16 seasons. Sure the people aren't the same but there is the same amount if not more drama and issues with the different people in the house. The show still strives on the conflicts between the house members. This is probably why the show is still so popular; they get a new group of people to portray the "real-life" dramatic situations, and the viewers watch the drama fold-out.

Stereotypes in Reality Television

2006-03-01T13:35:00.000-06:00

Jennifer Pozner, a journalist and media critic, cited that "reality television is far from harmless entertainment," on February 9, 2006, in her article in the Lincoln Journal Star. The main reason why reality television is harmful to those who watch it is because it is very stereotyped. Pozner's perspective to the stereotyping is that "women are portrayed as Barbie-types while men are portrayed as rich, sucessful jerks." This creates the thought that women are respected for their looks, so women watching the reality shows are lured into the notion that appearance is the most important thing. This thought makes women strive to be more like the "reality star" women through things like makeovers. So, reality television may seem like harmless entertainment, but pay attention to the people on the reality shows and for the stereotypes of these people because the stereotypes of people used in reality show is what is harming the viewers.

Reality TV a Misnomer?

2006-02-23T17:12:00.000-06:00

According to Dr. John Grohol's Psych Central website, the psychological term given to reality television is misnomer. It means, "far removed from actual reality...participants somtimes coached to act certain ways...event manipulated through editing and other post-production techniques." This pretty much states that reality television isn't really reality. Producers of reality television create the reality in a way that it will gain viewers like by cutting "boring" segments and highlighting segments where there is action and drama. Through editing, producers of the show can highlight certain reality participants as the "trouble-makers" while making other participants seem really mellow. The producers really decide how the reality is going to play out which is in fact not a "real" reality.

Over Half of American Television is Composed of Reality Shows

2006-02-22T14:26:00.000-06:00

According to the Nielsen Media Research, 56% of American television (cable and broadcast) is composed of reality shows, while 69% of world wide television (cable and broadcast) is composed of reality shows. So, reality shows make up over half of all of the shows on television in American and around the world. Reality television shows dominate so much over other television shows that it's hard not to watch some sort of reality show. With all of the different options for reality shows, it is easy to see how it dominates over other television shows. Also, some cable channels, like MTV, are composed mostly of reality television shows, but even many non-cable channels have their famous reality shows. There are tons of different types of reality shows that keep viewers interested...anything from celebrity shows, game shows, makeover shows, and dating shows, just to name a few. It's not hard to see that reality television is a major part of our culture today, not only in the US but also around the world.

American Idol Craze Continues

2006-02-16T17:20:00.000-06:00

Even though American Idol has entered its fifth season, reality TV fans still love the show. In an ongoing poll at realitytv.about.com, American Idol currently ranks as the most addictive reality show on television. Now, Idol is entering its more competitive stage where the home viewers will now be able to vote for their favorite contestant. Last night, the three judges, Randy, Simon, and Paula, named the top twenty-four contestants. One of the reasons for the American Idol addictiveness is the fact that the viewers get to choose who will be their next American Idol. This also attracts more viewers because they have to watch the show first to see who sings the best that night and then send in their vote. So, letting viewers decide the fate of the contestants makes American Idol an addictive show, and it allows the network to rake in tons of fans every week for the show.

Television Seasons

2006-02-15T11:02:00.000-06:00

A normal sitcom is on for a season like the fall, winter, spring, or summer season and then it goes off air for a while and starts back up during a different season. They usually leave the TV watcher wondering what is going to happen next season, and by the time the show is back on, many viewers have forgotten what had happened the last time the show was on. Sitcoms expect viewers to remember everything that happened in the prior seasons; which can be very difficult if the show has been on for a very long time. It is also very hard to get into a show if it has already been on for awhile because you don't know any of the characters or the plot line. Reality TV on the other hand makes it easy for new viewers to join when their seasons restart because the viewers don't have to know anything about the show or who the characters are because they change each season. When a reality show season is over, the show is over. On the final episode the viewer finds out who wins the money or a contract. Then, the next season of the show features new faces and sometimes new places with all new drama. This makes reality TV shows much easier to watch because they don't leave you trying to figure out what happened last season before you can start the new season.

The Attention Span Factor

2006-02-09T16:57:00.000-06:00

Could it be possible that reality TV is able to hold our attention better than the run-of-the-mill sitcom? Well, according to an article in the Philadelphia Daily News (November 9, 2005) by Ellen Grey, we have more of an attention span when it comes to watching reality shows because they "expect you not only to be able to tell its contestants apart but to follow their insain machinations." Also, we relate to these reality stars on a level that we can't relate to the actors on sitcoms. The fact that the reality stars are real people grabs our attention even more because we could put ourselves in their situation- especially how they deal with other people. So, this is why we are more apt to sit and watch hours of reality TV verse hours of sitcoms. Even if we don't like to admit it, reality TV captures our attention and holds on to it till we find out what happens on the last episode.

The "Real" in Reality Television

2006-02-08T11:06:00.000-06:00

"Reality TV is totally misleading. It is highly edited. It is not real. It is TV." Melanie Hall, British Big Brother Contestant.

How entertaining would it be to watch a show void of drama and action? Well, personally I don't think that I could stand to watch a show were nothing happens. So, why do reality TV producers show all of the fights between contestants, emotional breakdowns, and hook-ups between people- because that kind of TV brings in ratings. We all love to watch people go after eachother in a frenzy of namecalling and backstabbing remarks because it's entertaining. Who cares if it's real because viewers are going to watch it anyways. Maybe we critize reality star's major drama outbreaks, but that is the element of the show that keeps us watching. We are stuck in reality drama, perceiving as reality, because we feel we know these people and understand them. We never think that any of this could be fabricated because in a sense it has become our reality. So, maybe reality TV isn't completly real, but many of use feel like we can relate to some of the feelings of the reality stars, so in our minds it is reality-to the extreame.

Origins of Reality Television

2006-02-02T16:46:00.000-06:00

Although almost every channel on our American televisions has some type of reality show, the idea of reality television isn't an American idea. According to theage.com, the trend of reality television originated in Europe with their concept of taking regular people, putting them on "unusual game-show-style situations" and having a winner emerge at the end. That's right, reality television makes up so many of our shows these days and it wasn't even an American idea. Even though reality television isn't an American idea, Americans have electrified the concept of reality television by "putting it on every channel and creating more and more of it"(theage.com). Many American reality shows are actually created from successful European reality shows. So, reality show fans owe a big thank you to European show creaters because without them, America may not of had this bombardment of reality shows.

The Attraction To Reality TV

2006-02-01T11:22:00.000-06:00

"Reality TV is the name given to the new genre of programs that features "real" people in "real" circumstances," according to theage.com website. Reality TV does infact put so called real people into circumstances that could be consider real to a point. This new genre of programing is sweeping the nation and allowing producers of such shows to gain a huge financial increase because the reality shows attract large audiences and are very cheep to produce because they do not need real actors to play the parts. A large part of why reality TV is so popular with the public is because these different shows allow viewers to see "real" people do out of the ordinary things like face their fears, be stranded on an island for thirty days with little to eat, or see people living in a house together for two months without any outside interaction until they are voted out. The situations people are put in and the drama they bring to the show attract viewers, so viewers are stuck in a never ending cycle of reality shows that pull them in to see what will happen next.

First Post

2006-01-25T17:55:00.000-06:00

This is my first post on blogger...my topic for this semester is reality television. I plan on researching the effects reality television has on viewers and how much of reality television is actually real by reading different articles from internet sites, news reports, and library sources such as EBSCO Host. I am really interested to see what I can find about this topic because I am a huge reality tv fan. I hope that any information I find will be interesting to any readers also....I am excited to start getting more information for this blog.