Reality TV is something that you are seeing more of today. Reality television is when people or celebrities are filmed living there normal everyday lives and are undertaking specific challenges (Farlex Inc., 2012). Reality television attracts many viewers and has become more popular over the past few years. Some shows you may have even heard of are the shows known as 16 and pregnant, Jersey Shore, Hoarders, and extreme couponing. These are all examples of some very popular realty television shows that are aired regularly. Some shows like “Teen Mom” or “16 and pregnant” focus on teenagers that become pregnant and the struggles they are facing as a teenager with a child. These shows are to focus on the consequences of having unprotected sex but sometimes they are viewed as rewarding teen pregnancy. The shows like “Hoarders” are based on families who have a problem with not throwing anything way which in turn causes clutter and a big mess. So they have people come out and help the people get rid of unneeded stuff and choose healthier habits and make it so they are living in a better environment. Now “Extreme Couponing’s” is about people who gather tons of coupons and buy things at the store very cheap. This show has definitely set a trend, because of this show you see more people in lines at stores with a whole book of coupons. This show has shown people how to walk out the store with ten items for 5 cents. Some examples of why these shows may be popular are because they are exciting ,and they are similar to what life is really like. Reality TV is not some fantasy or unrealistic show we like to watch and wish our life was like theirs. Instead reality television is something we watch and think wow that is crazy, that person is crazy. Some of the stuff you see on these television shows is outrageous and it allows us to feel more comfortable with the things we do in our daily lives. When you see a whole bunch of teenagers having children or a whole bunch of crazy drunk people it somehow brings you to the realization that maybe your life is not as bad as you thought it was. There are also many other factors in why realty TV shows are so popular. The drama is probably the biggest factor as well as the WOW factor. Many viewers cannot believe that people get paid for filming such things but yet they are stuck to their TV screens watching. Reality television comes in different varieties which is another factor in its popularity, reality TV being so expansive reaches out to a number of different viewers. People interested in partying are able to view people like that as well as there are shows about doctors and about bidding on unknown items. Because there are different shows’ ranging from A-Z it causes more people to watch reality television which enhances reality televisions popularity. Reality television also has endurance, and it has many different personalities, as well as it always keeps it viewers wanting more. These are all superior examples of why reality television is so popular and why it continues to grow. One show that has been really successful on television is “Jersey Shore”. Jersey Shore has been a very successful and popular realty TV hit because of its drama and the craziness of the characters on the show. Snooki would have to be one of the main characters that have attracted viewers with her bad attitude and her drunken behavior. Let alone how wild and free she acts. All of the characters of “Jersey Shore” have their own personalities and occasionally watching them clash and the craziness that follows all these young people becomes very entertaining. Seeing them argue, cry, party, and laugh with each other is plenty of the reason for why it has become such a popular show. “Jersey Shore” gives their viewers the entertainment they are looking for. Reality television is becoming more successful and television producers are making investments on reality television. Some reason television producers would invest in reality television is because it is cheaper than hiring actors and creating a television show. With reality television all you have to do is hire people and record their behavior and everyday life. Some of the script is probably written but there are many of things about reality TV that is not written into script and that causes for more entertainment. Other reasons producers are interested in investing in reality TV is because it does bring in good profits. People watch reality TV and it receives hits. Realty television brings money in because it is entertaining and viewers continue to watch, which brings rating on shows up and the producers get paid very decent money for investing in these shows. Some of the similarities between dramas and sitcoms are that they both bring in viewers. Drama is a lot of what is seen in sitcoms as well which makes them similar. Drama is different emotions and sitcoms are filled with different emotions and that is part of the reason for why they are so popular. Everybody enjoys a good laugh, a good fight, and you know it is good if it brings a tear to your eye every so often. This is entertainment and this is what dramas and sitcoms are all about. The differences between sit coms and dramas are the way they are presented. Dramas are well planned scripted productions. It takes more time and money to air a television drama then what it does to air a sit com. Sit coms are more or less people being hired just to put a camera in their face to be filmed doing whatever they do. Sometimes sit coms have scripts as well but there are made to appear non scripted and are made to seem realistic. Dramas take more time and planning then sit coms and seem more picture perfect then sit coms. There are many reasons for why reality television is so popular and why producers would invest in it. There are many shows that catch viewer’s eyes daily and raise the ratings of these shows which make realty TV even more popular. Reality TV as said before has many different personalities; it has variety, and endurance all of which builds on its popularity. Realty television is like an escape from reality and allows you to view your life in a different way because the stuff you view on television sometimes can seem so much more outrageous then what you are used to. That is why realty television is so popular and why realty television continues to grow and become more popular over time, it is filled with what viewers like you want to keep you coming back for more.
what makes reality TV so popular www.dishtv.com
WWW.FREEDICTIONARY.COM/ reality+ show farlex 2012
www.ew.com entertainment weekly
www.insidetv.com 2012 www.answers.yahoo.com 2012
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
In Gardyn's essay, she explains why people in my age group watch reality TV. She explains, "70 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds watch reality television programs and 44 percent of this group prefer to watch real people over scripted characters on TV"(Gardyn 182). Also, statistics show that "43 percent of 10- to 34-year-old viewers say they tune in because they like to see conflict break out among the contestants" (Gardyn 184). Ed Martin also added "These kids grew with cable television, where unscripted, documentary-style shows have always been a staple," (186)…
- 895 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Television networks are providing more dramatic, hilarious, and shocking content. Based on what is socially acceptable, and entertaining Reality TV fits the standards. Cynthia M. Frisby describes Reality TV as cameras following “real life” people around showing their everyday schedules making it into a television show. She then explains that people attract to Reality TV, because…
- 561 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Reality television is a genre of television programming in which celebrities are filmed living their everyday lives. These celebrities can be people that were born in wealthy families or just ordinary people that have become celebrities because of television. The “reality” of these shoes is that the cast are perceived as role models to a variety of people watching them. These people are presented with no morals, ethics, or education. These shows do not present a good way of living but they are addictive and more viewers attempt to obtain these lifestyles everyday.…
- 516 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Reality TV has is a bizarre concept. To shows like American Idol to shows such as The Bachelor, Reality TV has a wide range of shows mostly suggestive to the audience, or shocking language coming from the cast in the shows.…
- 164 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
Reality TV has unseen effects and is detrimental to society. Reality TV is the current trend on TV that has brought back the buzz to television, but it also has unforeseen effects on its viewers. Some examples of Reality TV shows include: American Idol, The Bachelorette, Americas next top model, fear factor, etc...These shows range from singing talents, overcome their fears, to looks and beauty. Reality TV brings drama and voyeurism to its viewers by making its viewers too involved, taking them away from more important matters, and by wasting valuable resources on pointless entertainment.…
- 1014 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Although reality TV is fascinating and full of drama, it still has an enormous effect on today’s youth. Throughout the years reality TV has become popular and it has attracted different age groups. But one group that reality TV attracts would be teens. Now I am not talking about all teens, but some teens do look at the actions of the television stars and think what they’re doing is “amazing”. When teenagers watch reality shows it opens their eyes to a lot of sex, vulgar language, and drugs. Allowing teens to be exposed to this much disapproval behavior is dangerous and can later bring problems later on in life. My best friend younger sister, who is fifteen, is starting to live the life of a reality star. She wakes up early for school, tired, from the previous night. She enjoys staying up all hours of the night just to be able to catch her favorite show, “The Bad Girls Club.” Wanting to be free, and doing whatever she feels like doing. Saying anything she wants to whomever, going out partying with all her friends, open to try drugs (weed), ready to try and have sex. At a young age she wants to do everything like these “bad girls” do. Is it healthy? No, going out every weekend and partying is making her tired. All this “freedom” that she’s getting is making her not want to study for school. But watching these reality shows isn’t healthy for a fifteen year old. According to Mullings “The impact of heavy television viewing and the effects it has on young viewers has been a dominant topic since the 1960s. With the ever-changing landscape of television programming, reality television has become increasingly popular, especially among the pre-teen and teen audiences” (Mullings)…
- 563 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
In an article found on the Pro Quest database, television critic, Mary McNamara postulates, “… even if we were to mistakenly dismiss reality shows as having no intrinsic value, there is no denying their influence on television in general. And considering that television still remains the most ubiquitous, influential and powerful medium in the world… any shift in its structure or content is worth academic consideration.” (McNamara, M. 2011). The article goes on to explain that reality television is extremely predominant in our society as exemplified by a recent SAT test that included questions about reality television (Para 1).…
- 1997 Words
- 8 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Reality TV is a genre of television programming in which actual occurrences and unscripted situations are depicted, usually using a cast that is previously unknown to the audience. Since the beginning of reality TV programming, believed to be in the 1940s, it has become an increasingly popular form of television programming that ultimately achieved worldwide success in the late twentieth/early twenty first century. (OSU, 2001)…
- 2664 Words
- 8 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Reality TV has become a hot topic in the United States as of late. There are those who argue that reality shows are harmless entertainment and those who contend that reality shows are stereotypical and disgusting.…
- 418 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
On the other hand, some reality shows promote a good message to society. Shows like American Idol, America’s Got Talent, and X Factor are prime examples of a good quality reality TV show that is strictly fun and full of entertainment. These programs allow kids and adults alike the opportunity to reach their dreams if their dreams happen to be worldwide super-stardom. And who doesn’t dream of being famous every once and awhile? Shows like the ones mentioned above enable people to chase that dream.…
- 858 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Reality TV allows us to do just that; we can watch a show Monday night and then have something to talk about the next day at work or school. We can have a common interest with someone without really having to like the same things. Curiosity also plays a role in our obsession with this trend, viewers will imagine themselves in these certain situations and think how they would react but the difference is the viewers get to watch from afar and not have any consequences for what they might choose (Hotchkiss par. 2). Reality television has completely changed the entertainment industry in that it creates a fun way to follow these participants and since they are real people with real conflicts their lives matter to us. This seems to be one reason surrounding why reality television has become so captivating for America and just why it is undeniably here to stay for the long…
- 2100 Words
- 9 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Reality television, in general, can be considered fifty percent real and fifty percent acting. Most reality shows are meant to reveal the struggles, successes and challenges people face on a daily basic. Reality television, for the most part is considered educational and informative. People in the United States and around the world and all ages can be educated on variety of topics, such as education shows, music shows, documentaries, sports and survival shows. Reality television, for some people, can be considered as a wakeup call to certain habits or misguided life decisions. The…
- 500 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Reality TV is any unscripted program that shows real people, not actors or athletes in a specific environment.…
- 1163 Words
- 5 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Yes, reality television shows like "Flavor of Love" and "Laguna Beach" are enormously, and unfortunately popular. Yes, they are smut. This is not an ideal world. There will always be Paris Hiltons and Lindsay Lohans to keep those unable or unwilling to understand higher programming entertained. But this is not to say all reality shows are not stimulating. Shows like "Survivor" and "The Apprentice," though of the reality genre are far and above "Flavor of Love" in terms of subject matter. They also aren 't glorifying prostitution (the argument that Donald Trump & friends are a bunch of prostitutes is for another time and place). This is why culture cannot be viewed as a simple skyscraper. Within genres there is so much going on now that it 's primitive to think higher or lower and not any other way.…
- 1035 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
In addition, reality television programs do not produce authentic, real life situations. This is a problem because this produces misleading images of the essence of society. Labeling many shows as reality television is falsely advertising for many reasons. For example, the producers in…
- 697 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays