Evaluating reality TV – Part 1
December 28, 2009 by gossip dog
Filed under Reality Television
Entertainment is a huge industry in the United States. People in the United States are constantly looking for sources of entertainment through media based sources. The television is something you can find in near every household in the United States. In an average United States home a television is on seven hours and twelve minutes a day. That is a lot of television. But what kind of show is on during those seven hours and twelve minutes a day that the television is on? Pretty much every time you flip through the channels on your television, you can find at least one reality show on, remember I say at least. Reality shows seem to be taking over in a real bad way. It’s something always on television and always reran and millions of Americans are watching these awful shows. Reality television shows are dehumanizing and watched way too much. Reality TV, in spite of how much it draws in viewers, is bad and has a negative affect on its viewers.
Is reality TV even reality? If you have ever watched a reality TV show, you will notice that many of the people starring on the shows are not your typical average Joe walking down the street. Many reality TV stars actually fall into the category of deviants. They do not follow the norms of most people. They lack the morals and values of the majority of people.
Let’s look at marriage. In the United States, marriage is considered to be for two people who love each other and commit to spending the rest of their lives together because they’re in love. Reality TV trivializes marriage. It violates the sanctity of marriage. Look at shows like The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, these shows expect a person to decide who they’re going to marry from a selected group of women/men that the producers have hand selected. Do they even really get to know them in that time frame of the show? Are they honestly presented the opportunity to fall in love with one another? Or are they forced to pick on what they can know in a short time like what a person looks like? In an article entitled “Four Christian Women Examine the Impact of Reality Marriage Shows,” one woman observed “On many of these shows, marriage is something women win. They earn it. They’re good enough for it. I think that sends a damaging message to singles. It communicates, If you aren’t married, you haven’t won; you’ve lost.” I agree that this is a bad message people could be receiving from these particular reality shows.
Reality TV has become very sexually exposing.
What makes a great reality TV show? – Part 1
December 5, 2009 by gossip dog
Filed under Reality Television
Some cynics might contend that there is no such thing as a “great” reality television show but would have to accept that Reality TV is now among the most popular viewer choices. Looking at the question of what makes a great reality television show through the eyes of a program maker, would lead us to conclude that there are fundamental elements known to attract huge audiences.
Among the most popular reality shows are those that focus on watching people fail at what they aspire to do. American Idol is a classic example of a reality show that begins with participants who should not even be in the building, let alone performing before the panel of judges. The total absence of singing talent is one of the elements that make the show compulsive viewing for millions. Some viewers actually stop watching the show once the awful, untalented contestants are gone. A show that highlights failure is always a winner for reality program makers.
Another compelling reason viewers have for watching reality television is that they can watch everyday people do outrageous things. The more shocking and extreme the subjects are, the more likely it is to attract viewers in large numbers. Reality shows that shock will always capture the attention of people who are voyeuristic in nature. It can be much like the person who continually feels a need to spy on their neighbors. Now they can do the same thing as they watch a reality television program.
A third ingredient of a great reality program is to have a high level of competition where the participants or contestants are gunning for one another in order to win the prize. The Apprentice is classic example of this kind of reality program where aspiring business people compete with each other to become Donald Trump’s next sidekick. The spirit of competition is the key factor in the success of the program; with two teams battling it out and the individuals, all maneuvering themselves into prime positions. The build up to Trump’s “you’re fired” keeps viewers glued to the screen.
Whatever our view of reality television, it is an entertainment form that looks as though it is here to stay. Some of it may well be mind-numbing nonsense but the viewer figures are enough to tell the program makers that this is what people want. The goal of producers is to create a reality television program that will top the ratings. The term “great” may not be one that can be used too often in relation to reality television programs but with all the key elements, they will certainly be successful.
The effects of reality TV – Part 3
August 14, 2009 by gossip dog
Filed under Reality Television
I must admit that I am among millions of other American’s who have been addicted to reality television. I think my addiction began with the very popular “Survivor” and quickly spread to “Big Brother.” As embarrassing as it might be, my life revolved around the air-times of these shows. I wouldn’t schedule or plan anything if one of my reality shows were on television. It was a sickness to put it mildly. I now believe that those of us who tune into these reality television programs are nothing more than voyeurs, fascinated by the mere aspect of watching poor actors open themselves up to the world. Oftentimes, these programs consist of crude and vulgar behavior, but still we view it as entertainment. The reality show “Big Brother” is a perfect example of this lewd behavior that entertains us. For me, the hoopla of reality television didn’t take long to diminish. It seemed that every time I turned on the television there was a new reality show being aired. In my opinion, the more reality shows that sprung up, the more ridiculous reality television became. Now consider the 2001 show “Temptation Island.” Wow. Couples go on this show to test their partner’s faithfulness. This show featured half-naked, sexy women running around flaunting themselves, hoping to find the one man that wouldn’t be able to resist them. First of all, if a couple has to go to these lengths to feel confident in their partner’s faithfulness, maybe they should reconsider their relationship. I am sure there are many reasons that a seemingly civilized, reasonable person would choose to bear their soul and lives in front of millions of people, but I believe it all comes down to money and fame. People often like to be in the spotlight. They want to make not only a quick buck, but a name for themselves too. Is that harmful? It certainly can be. Take for instance the new show “Moment of Truth,” where contestants are hooked up to a lie detector machine, and then asked very personal questions. In order to win money, they must answer the questions truthfully. But at what cost? The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is a million dollars, but the trip they must take to find this treasure is one of humiliation, hurtfulness, and the risk of losing what really matters; the people who care about them. For instance, countless times I have seen a contestant’s spouse break down when they learn that their spouse has not been faithful. I have seen parents learn that their child did not feel they were provided a good childhood. I have seen an obese woman be told that she was, in the contestant’s opinion, repulsive. This makes we wonder how we as a society have turned into one in which all that matters is monetary gain. What surprises me is that these contestant’s know they risk they are taking by playing the game, but they do it anyway. I think we need to ask ourselves this question. What good is a million dollars going to do when everything else is lost? The next time I am tempted to tune into yet another reality show, I will instead find something that will be self-fulfilling and not spoil my mind with such ludicrous and ridiculous nonsense.
How Dancing With The Stars Differs From Other Reality TV Shows
July 9, 2009 by gossip dog
Filed under Reality Television
Reality television is everywhere. It seems as though every network has at least one. When America runs out of ideas they just adapt new shows from previous British ones. After all, that is what American Idol is; an adaptation from Britain’s Pop Idol!
Very few shows promote fun and health, as they mainly focus on money and fame. Dancing with the Stars is not one of them. This article is going to show that while this show is similar in a lot of ways to other shows, it is truly headed towards a different realm.
You are probably wondering what makes Dancing with the Stars any different from shows like Date My Mom and Nanny 911? First look at the similarities. To begin with, much like American Idol, this show came from England and was first called, “Strictly Come Dancing” and it showed up during a time when television was all about using film, T.V. and sports stars for their reality shows, therefore it fit right in. America was also interested in the concept of ballroom dancing. The show is set up just like any other reality show where popularity plays a huge roll, allowing fans to vote who will stay and who will go.
A dancing show like So You Think You Can Dance helps to illustrate what sets Dancing with the Stars apart. The contestants on So You Think You Can Dance are trying to live a dream, as they are competing for so much that in the end, the reason that they dance in the first place is lost.
Very differently, the Stars show focuses on the dances and the beauty of them. They aren’t competing for money so it takes all of the pressure out of the game. They are simply there for the fun of ballroom dancing and nothing more.
Dancing with the Stars takes place in a dance theatre and has introduced ballroom dancing to adults and children all over the world. Recently, they have promoted children who take part in ballroom type of dance. The show also promotes good health, and they don’t even do it purposefully.
So many of the contestants, past and present, have lost weight and gotten into shape by ballroom dancing alone! They all credit the show for these wonderful transformations. So next time you turn on your television, ask your self what you would rather watch, a crushed dream or a football player doing the tango?
How do Reality Television Shows Affect Children?
June 25, 2009 by gossip dog
Filed under Reality Television
There has been a lot of discussion lately on the relative merits of reality television when it comes to different people in society. There are a number of people that will argue that reality television is not good for children and there are many reasons that are forwarded to prove that point. Most of these reasons do not seem to be well thought out or logical however and to prove that point it is definitely possible to play Devil’s advocate and argue the reverse point. Namely, the point that reality television shows can affect children in a positive sense is one that is definitely worth considering and it is worth considering for the reasons that are given below.
Education
Reality television shows can often be an education, both for the people that participate in them and for the people that watch them. Of course, in most cases reality television shows are not really open to children and this means that children are left to watch the shows on television. These shows will show how people can react when put in high stress situations and the shows themselves can also show exactly how people can react when they end up scheming and plotting against other people in order to get to the top and be the last person standing.
People may scoff and put on a shocked demeanor when they come across these types of events in a reality television show, but only the most naïve person would really think that none of these things spill out into real life. Reality television is given the name reality specifically because of the fact that a lot of these things go on in real life too in areas like schools, workplaces and offices. Watching the shows now will expose children to this type of behavior in a relatively controlled environment that will not directly affect them and therefore will give them a better chance of noticing and preventing such behavior when it starts getting directed against them later on in life.
Alternatives
What is available on television nowadays for children to watch? For children that are of a very young age there are of course cartoons and for children that are older there are the normal adult sitcoms and other shows that they can watch. But for children in the middle there really isn’t that much else on television for them to watch. Movies have become very violent and laden with sex and the same can really be said for many of the television shows that you can see today as well. Cartoons do not have the intellectual content necessary to hold the attention of most middle-age kids and therefore one could argue that there is a big void in their lives on this particular issue.
Then consider reality television. Since there are humans interacting with other humans in a real way of speaking, there is going to be a minimum amount of violence in most cases and in shows where there has been real violence a lot of it has been edited out. The same can be true of sex and if the show is on a cable network this is definitely going to be true in terms of the editing. So reality television is a relatively clean show when compared to many of the other things your kids could be watching and since kids want to watch television, reality television in many cases is going to be your best choice to give them something positive and educational to watch. These are both very powerful reasons to consider reality television as having a positive effect on your child.
What Are Some Ways to Get Noticed by Reality TV Show Producers?
April 30, 2009 by gossip dog
Filed under Reality Television
If you are interested in reality television, there are a number of ways that you can go about getting yourself noticed. However, the problem that you invariably run into when trying to figure out how to get yourself noticed by a producer for a reality television show is that figuring out exactly how to do it is a difficult thing to do. After all, attempts to get noticed are not done in a vacuum and for that reason if you have one attempt that goes poorly, your whole goal of getting on a particular reality television show can be dashed in the blink of an eye. You need to make sure that your first attempt is good enough to get on the show without making it something so weird that it would preclude you from ever being selected. Well, below are some ideas to get you started, arranged in order from safest to trickiest.
Video
Video is a great way to start because it is one of the safest things that you could do. Video in modern times doesn’t necessarily mean getting in front of a camera and speaking, although of course for some reality shows that might be the way to go in order to provide a particular flavor to your video. You can send in a tape or DVD of your video to the show or in many cases you can even direct them to a website like YouTube where you place your video online for them to see.
Videos allow you to really be yourself in the most basic way. You can go ahead and tell them about yourself and why you think you would be good for the show. Of course, some shows already require videos are part of the initial application process, but for the ones that do not you can always make sure that you include a video. Videos are very safe and very hard to go wrong with and that is why they are the best option for someone that is starting out. However, the problem with the video is that most people think immediately about doing one and that means that with a video it can sometimes be hard to stand out from the crowd.
Website
One step up from the video in terms of trickiness is the website. There are many options for how you can get a website done, with the easiest being to go through something like MySpace or Facebook. However, if those options seem a bit too mainstream for you, another option that is open is creating the website yourself. This will give you the greatest amount of creative control over what ends up on the website, allowing the finished product to have a lot more of your personality in it than a MySpace or Facebook page could ever have.
Since websites can stream videos, you can actually still include a video in your final presentation. A website will allow you to go into great detail about why you would be a great candidate for that particular show and it will of course allow you to answer all of their concerns to your fullest in a way that is neatly referenced and organized for them to visit. With a website however, you risk showing a lot of your personality through the layout and colour scheme that you choose to use. If you use one that turns off the person that visits it, you could damage your chances. This is a minor risk however and that is why a website is still a reasonably safe way to get things done.