About Reality TV

Reality TV programs are a huge part of our pop culture, especially since the year 2000 when they started attracting a lot of attention. There is a lot of controversy about reality TV, but it generates a large amount of revenue while not being expensive to create. It has reflected and, in some cases, influence, many different aspects of our society, including sexuality, gender roles, family values, celebrity status, conquering fears and achieving dreams.

History

The term "reality TV" describes a specific genre of TV shows that started gaining popularity in the year 2000. The emergence of reality TV, however, came about in the 1940s with game shows and radio talk shows. By the 1950s, the Miss America Pageant helped cement the concept that real, beautiful women on TV competing for something attracted millions of viewers. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, concept reality shows emerged, such as "An American Family," which showed a family going through a divorce, and also a number of dating reality shows and game shows. TV networks started to notice that there was a market for these shows. During the 1980s and 1990s, network executives noticed that they could use anyone, not just actors, to be on TV for cheap because so many people wanted to do it. In 2000, reality TV exploded in popularity in the United States as well as globally, and TV stations started devoting entire time slots or even side networks just to reality TV.

Significance

People get a sense of instant celebrity knowing that they are on a TV show for no apparent reason but for viewers to watch them. They know they will be recognized from being on TV, and possibly won't even care if they are recognized for a good or bad reason. In this sense, some reality shows can also be filled more with humiliation than entertainment, and for some reason the public is attracted to this spectacle. It can make viewers feel better about their own lives, and look into the human soul to know that they are not alone. It also has had a great influence on society, especially since the year 2000, when reality shows started to emerge on networks such as VH1 and MTV. These shows seem to battle over who can have the most outrageous or controversial plots and occurrences. The two top-rated shows ever on TV--"Survivor" and "American Idol"--give justice to that fact that everyone seems to want to watch normal people such as themselves conquer fears and dreams in order to achieve the ultimate success.

Features

Reality TV is a specific genre in the world of media that presents itself as being unscripted, unplanned events featuring real people, not actors. Usually the events are something that an audience would want to see, whether it has to do with good or bad values. Daily news and sport shows are not in the same category as reality TV because reality TV is not necessarily factual, a way to gain knowledge or of interest to people who pay attention to news and sports.

Types

The shows can range from game shows or quiz shows such as "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire" and "Family Feud," to the very intense personal shows that delve deep into people's lives, such as "The Biggest Loser," "The Real World" and "Survivor." Many of these shows revolve around the emotional turmoil generated amid the contestants. Documentary style reality TV is a style where the camera passively observes people and follows them around. This can revolve around a special living environment ("The Real World"), celebrities ("The Surreal Life") or work or professions ("The Deadliest Catch" and "Making the Band").
Game, elimination and dating shows are what started the trend of reality TV in the first place. The newest addition to this category are the elimination shows, where participants compete for a dream job or special title ("Top Chef," "Hell's Kitchen," "Dancing with the Stars," "The Contender"). Another category is a makeover reality shows, where contestants are given a chance to make themselves over or change their lifestyles ("Rock of Love Charm School," "Biggest Loser," "Made"). Other categories include talk shows, social experiment shows, hidden camera shows and trick shows ("Hell Date," "Scare Tactics").

Considerations

Reality TV is not exactly reality. Although the people involved are usually not actors, they are coached and trained on ways to act on- and off-screen, and in many of the voyeuristic and surveillance type of shows, certain abnormal situations are placed upon those involved, resulting in erratic behaviors and emotions. Also, before the shows are aired, a big team of editors often cuts and copies different parts of the reels in order to make the show feel more intense, or to even highlight a person on the show in a demeaning light for entertainment purposes. Many of the current reality TV shows are inappropriate for younger ages.