Essay on Reality TV: Unscripted and Unpopular -but Increasingly Popular!

Introduction

Reality TV refers to a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted real-life events. Generally, it stars unknown individuals as opposed to the professional actors seen in other genres of television. The roots of reality TV, as a distinct genre, can be traced to the 1990s. While the genre has often been criticized for lack of informative stance, an unprecedented increase in its popularity has been witnessed in recent years. The trend has been informed by various factors such as the fact that people can relate to the events in reality TV. Studies in the recent past have revealed that reality TV has a profound impact, both positive and negative, on society. For instance, on the one hand, it can encourage behavioral change. On the other hand, it can lead to addiction and also promotes a false perception of the real world. As such, reality TV should be consumed with caution, especially where the young are involved. In such cases, guardians have a huge role to play in ensuring that the young are not adversely affected by reality TV. In the light of these issues, this paper seeks to examine reality TV with an emphasis on the reasons behind the rise of its popularity, its effects on the population, as well as measures that can be taken to address them.

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Reasons for the Rise in Reality TV

The modern world has become incredibly fast and demanding. Thus, reality TV gives the viewers an escape from their own problems. One gets swept away by the excitement and drama in these shows, and their problems momentarily feel insignificant and far away. Reality TV also gives the audience some control over the show (Bartlett et al., 2019). For instance, in American Idol, one can vote to keep their favorite contestants on the show. As such, though one might not have control over some aspects of their lives, the shows give them the power to determine who gets evicted. Though insignificant, this control gives the audience the feeling that they are making a difference. Many people in the modern world are in pursuit of fame. As mentioned earlier, reality TV largely stars unknown individuals who end being adored by millions of people. Reality TV, therefore, gives the viewers the hope that they will ultimately achieve their dream of stardom. These are among the reasons why Reality TV has drastically grown in recent years.

Why People Watch Reality TV

There are several reasons why people watch reality TV. First, the genre is a source of entertainment, hence drawing millions of viewers. People generally like to explore the events going on in the world surrounding them. By portraying these events, reality TV offers a degree of entertainment not offered by other genres of television. Reiss and Wiltz (2004) also hold that people watch reality TV to feel self-important. Following the assessment of 239 adults, the study established that those who watch reality TV are more likely to feel self-important as compared to the general population (Reiss & Wiltz, 2004). The study also revealed that viewers of reality TV are motivated to feel friendly, vindicated, secure, romantic, and free of morality. Reality shows stimulate these feelings, hence attracting huge viewership since people prefer programs that elicit feelings that they intrinsically value. Recent studies have also linked reality TV to voyeurism (Bagdasarov et al., 2010). According to this study, people watch reality TV to get a peek into the lives of other people. While other genres such as crime/action programs contain voyeuristic content, individuals high in voyeurism lean towards reality TV. As the world becomes increasingly lonely due to busy schedules and the high pace of life, reality TV also helps people satisfy their need for companionship (Patrick, 2018). More than any other genre, reality TV gives one the false sense of knowing the actors. The viewers share in their challenges and triumphs and may end up thinking that they have a personal relationship with them.

Effects of Reality TV

Reality TV has been shown to affect the viewers both positively and negatively. On the one hand, it has been shown that some reality shows present issues faced in real life and offer solutions to them (Vertoont, 2018). For instance, when well scripted and staged, reality shows on weight loss can help the viewers adopt healthy lifestyles, a key factor in the fight against non-communicable diseases, which are increasingly becoming a public health concern around the world. Other social issues addressed in reality TV include women empowerment. In some instances, reality shows can also be educative. For instance, shows such as Teen Mom portrayed the hardships young parents face. A survey administered by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy after the show aired revealed that 87% of the viewers had acquired important lessons (Sathrasia, 2017).

However, it has also been argued that reality TV adversely affects the viewers, particularly the young population. Characterization in reality TV features various stereotypes. When adopted by the viewers, these stereotypes can be harmful to society. The stereotypes can also promote the development of wrong ideas on issues such as sexuality, celebrity status, beauty, and wealth. This effect is particularly serious among the young population, whose perception of these issues is underdeveloped. Relational aggression, consisting of exclusion, bullying, and manipulation, is a common feature of reality shows. According to psychologists, watching such shows can support the development of aggressive behavior among the viewers (NPR, 2014). Reality TV also alters the viewers’ perception of the world. For instance, they might consider the conniving and argumentative behaviors portrayed in the shows as normal. They also promote materialism and place excess emphasis on appearance (Lee et al., 2016). Also, reality shows can be addictive.

Addressing the Effects Reality TV

As shown above, reality TV adversely affects the viewers, particularly the young. As such, there is a need for guardians to take measures aimed at addressing these issues. For instance, a guardian can choose to watch reality TV shows with their children. In the process, the guardians can address the reality of the shows. They can also help the young ones develop critical responses to the various subjects depicted on reality TV. Other than the young, the above discussion has shown that reality TV can also affect the behavior of adults. Therefore, though reality TV is entertaining, the viewers should be aware of the fact that messages and values portrayed do not depict reality.

Conclusion

A drastic increase in the popularity of reality TV has been witnessed in the recent past. Various societal and psychological factors have informed the trend. For instance, as society becomes more lonely, people need a form of entertainment that also offers them a sense of companionship. Reality TV addresses this need. It also speaks into various psychological needs of the viewers, such as the hope to achieve stardom. While reality TV can speak into important societal issues, it can also lead to various adverse effects. For example, it can lead to the development of aggressive behavior and a skewed perception of reality. As such, viewers must be aware that these shows are scripted and staged. Parents and guardians must also take caution to ensure that their children are not negatively influenced.

References

Bagdasarov, Z., Greene, K., Banerjee, S. C., Krcmar, M., Yanovitzky, I., & Rugunyte, D. (2010). I am what I watch: Voyeurism, sensation seeking, and television viewing patterns. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 54(2), 299-315. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08838151003734995

Bartlett, A., Clarke, K., & Cover, R. (2019). Playing with Scripts: Social Experiments and Reality Television. Flirting in the Era of# MeToo, 51-75. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-15508-7_3

Lee, S. Y., Chen, Y. S., & Harmon, M. (2016). Reality TV, materialism, and associated consequences: An exploration of the influences of enjoyment and social comparison on reality TV’s cultivation effects. Atlantic Journal of Communication, 24(4), 228-241. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15456870.2016.1208659

NPR. (2014, August 24). Viewer Beware: Watching Reality TV Can Impact Real-Life Behavior. Retrieved from NPR: https://www.npr.org/2014/08/24/342429563/viewer-beware-watching-reality-tv-can-impact-real-life-behavior

Patrick, W. L. (2018, January 4). How Reality TV Preferences Reveal Personality. Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/why-bad-looks-good/201801/how-reality-tv-preferences-reveal-personality

Reiss, S., & Wiltz, J. (2004). Why people watch reality TV. Media psychology, 6(4), 363-378. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s1532785xmep0604_3

Sathrasia, S. (2017, June 5). The Benefit of Reality TV. Retrieved from The Perspective: https://the-perspective.org/1351/opinion/the-benefit-of-reality-tv/

Vertoont, S. (2018). Would you date ‘the undateables’? An analysis of the mediated public debate on the reality television show ‘The Undateables’. Sexualities, 21(5-6), 825-839. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1363460717699782