UNCOVERING REALITY TELEVISION

REALITY TV It covers a wide range of program formats from game shows, talk shows and quizzes. The idea behind it was to capture real human interaction on television. It is not a documentary in any form. It has become popular all over the world today. There are no professional actors. Shows are mainly based on filming people from everyday walks of life that take part in contests. It has become a lifestyle today.

Some Popular Shows Survivor Big Brother Jerry Springer THe Bachelor

Survivor This format has spread internationally. Australia, Bulgaria, Czech republic, Israel, United Kingdom and United States host their own versions of survivor. The aim of the game is to be the last man standing out of twenty people. The sole survivor wins a prize of 100,000 and a car. On the show, players or survivors perform in a dramatic setting. Forming alliances, enemies and exhibit real emotions. The over exaggerated drama is appealing and entertaining to its audiences. The essence of the show is drawn from human drama, conflicts that occur between people who are forced to live with each other for a long period of time. It is interesting to watch the birth of relationships between strangers. “Survivor's lasting appeal is a microcosm of reality TV's lasting appeal. Survivor's lasting appeal is a microcosm of reality TV's lasting appeal.”

Big Brother The name Big Brother is ambiguous in accordance to the show itself. The contestants are required to stay in a house without any interaction with the outside world. The feeling of being locked in a house with strangers can be nerve racking for both contestants and audiences. Similarly like survivor, each house mate in big brother is voted out. The last house mate wins seventy thousand pounds. “The name for the show comes from George Orwell's 1949 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, a dystopia in which Big Brother exercises total control over the population.”

The Luckiest Man in the world The Bachelor This American reality television show helps a young, sometimes handsome rich man find his true love or future wife. For this purpose, women make the show. A group of twenty five women are paired individually with the so called bachelor. Couples enjoy on one on one dates while they are on television. The Luckiest Man in the world

The Bachelor One thing that comes to mind is the script. In general reality television films all natural behavior. However, there must be a script. In the bachelor, it is difficult to believe that the depth of emotion is real. It seems that love can happen anywhere even on television. Women are eliminated each week. For the last two woman, the bachelor makes a choice to marry one of them. This treatment of subjectivity can be demeaning in sorts. The show portrays that women come on the show hoping to find real love and get rejected. There participants are constantly being judged.

Jerry Springer This venture started out as a political talk show between people with unresolved or problematic relationships. Today, it stages almost nude physical bombarding between people from all walks of life. Is it for higher ratings? Yes it is! The show achieved its success as it focused on low culture and almost all kinds of disloyalty Initially guests are prepared back stage before entering. They are expected to blow the situation out of proportion. These guests are from low class with minimal education backgrounds. The purpose of the show is to confront on a television stage with a spouse or family member's adultery, homosexuality, prostitution and tranvestism and similar situations. These argument result in abusive shouting, chair-throwing, fist-fights, and removal of clothing. Female guests also receive 'Jerry Beads' (basically just another name for a set of beads) when exposing their breasts to the crowd . The show picked up and garnered huge ratings and lots of attention.

These were examples that explain the nature of reality television These were examples that explain the nature of reality television. The exaggerated realities of others lives. The Psychological Factor The entertainment lies in human behavior and interactions. It plays on the psyche of television watchers. One may question why some one would strip and fight? It is a shameful act however humans find joy in other people’s misery. The random reactions obtained from viewers cannot be specifically explained. However, due to these aspects, reality television has become a part of popular culture. One can relate enormously to the dramatic scenes on the shows.

Why it is popular Another reason for its popularity can be assigned to the rewards. The reward is mainly in the form of cash or material objects. The shows benefit people who lack professional or specialized skills to make a career. Society today judges individuals on the basis of their achievements. People from various geographical areas are given a chance to make a future. Shows like survivor, big brother and others make this possible.

The Social Factors Filming ordinary people brings fame. For example, if a contestant fails to win sole survivor title, it does not take away from his already established fame by being on television. Directors are often looking to find new talent in this dynamic industry. “Sociology professor Mark Fishman of Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, has made a study of reality TV. "The Germans have a word for it, the appeal of some of these shows," he says. "It's called 'schadenfreude.' It means taking delight in the misfortunes of others. It's a guilty pleasure.”

Conclusion Reality television receives its importance from the shows. Further, there is no doubt that it has become a part of culture due to the psychological,personal and social factors. It takes from the real world and stages an exaggerated view of that reality. Several countries have adapted this concept of reality television to give viewers something unique to watch.

Citations http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_tv http://www.zonalatina.com/Zldata302.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Brother_%28TV_series%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Springer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor