Reality TV is everywhere. It is broadcast day and night across the globe.
But what exactly is this television genre? Reality TV is programming in which
ordinary people are placed together in unusual situations for weeks at a time,
often in order to compete for some hind of prize. The participants are filmed
almost continually and their communication with each other is unscripted.
There are reality shows on every topic imaginable. For example, there are
shows in which contestants compete to win a modeling contract (such as Brazil’s
Top Model), a recording contract (Britain’s Pop Idol), a million dollars (America’s
Survivor), a college scholarship (India’s Airtel Scholarship Hunt), a marriage
proposal (Australia’s Farmer Wants a Wife), and a nomination for a seat in
Congress (Argentina’s The People’s Candidate).
In the decade, hundreds of different reality programs have been broadcast
in countries around the world. Yet, surprisingly, this has not seemed to diminish
the public’s fascination with the genre. On the contrary, reality TV has only
increased in popularity.
So let’s look at some of the reasons for its appeal. One thing many people
find appealing about reality TV is the way it brings instant fame to ordinary
people. While the fame fades for most after the show, some reality TV contestants
go on to become true stars. For example, after appearing on American Idol,
Jennifer Hudson shot to fame as an actress. Hollywood even awarded Jennifer an
Oscar for her performance in the movie Dream Girls. In less than two years,
Jennifer went from being a complete unknown to being a top recording artist and
Hollywood star! Reality programming allows people to watch and imagine that
the same thing could happen to them. They, too, could become a star!
Reality shows also owe their success to human nature. People are, by
nature nosy, they are fascinated by other people’s personal lives and like to know
what is going on behind closed doors. We get a thrill out of seeing a person
confess a secret to a friend, witnessing someone tell her boyfriend a lie, or
watching someone offer a ring to his true love.
Reality TV can also help us feel good about ourselves. Parents watching the
shocking behavior of children on the U.S. show Nanny 9-1-1 may find themselves
reflecting on how relatively well-behaved their own children are. A woman who
feels her boyfriend isn’t quite smart and sophisticated enough might feel
differently after watching an episode of the Japanese reality show Ainori (“Love
Bus”). The obnoxious behavior of some of those men may make her realize that
her boyfriend is Prince Charming after all.
Of course not everyone loves reality TV. Some complain that there is
nothing stimulating or enriching about it. They claim that reality TV has a
negative effect on individuals and on society. Many also feel that reality TV
presents ethical problems. These people argue that it is morally wrong it expose
the private lives of contestants, and to put them in embarrassing situations,
simply for the viewers’ entertainment.
Love it or hate it, the global phenomenon of reality TV is here to stay. So
make yourself a snack, grab your remote, and get comfy on the couch. There’s no
end of reality TV is sight!