Reality Television: An Outsider’s Assessment Nick Burnett “An Army of One” April 19, 2006

Grappling with Definitions Defining Reality TV is less about aesthetic rules than about the fusion of popular television with the self-conscious claim to the discourse of the “real.” Ouellette and Murray: “reality TV is an important generic forum for…the merger of marketing and “real life” entertainment, the convergence of new technologies with programs and their promotion, and the acknowledgment of their manufactured artifice that coexist with truth claims.” The truth claims of reality TV are unlike news or documentaries which are “good for you” but not necessarily entertaining…

Genre Conventions and Sub-genres Game show RTV—Big Brother, Survivor Dating show RTV—Joe Millionaire, Elimidate Makeover/Lifestyle RTV—What Not to Wear, Queer Eye…, Extreme Makeover Docusoaps—Real World, HS Reunion, Cheerleader Nation Talent Contest RTV—American Idol Popular Court RTV—Judge Judy, Divorce Court Reality Sitcoms—Anna Nicole Show, The Osbournes, Fat Actress

Moments (not necessarily great) in the history of RTV Candid Camera—Punk’d before Ashton Queen for a Day The Real World (1991)  Uses non actors of the key demographic  Staged to ignite conflict and drama  Introduces audience to the grammar of RTV

What has RTV wrought? Les Moonves, President of CBS Television in a front page NY Times story: “The world as we know it is over…” What’s changed?  Seasons have decreased in importance…new series can start anytime  Syndication is less important, reruns less valuable  Writers? We don’t need no stinking writers!

How real is RTV? What makes RTV appear real?  They claim it is..  Handheld cameras and unscripted dialogue calls to mind observational documentaries  Shocking and unexpected action The irony of RTV…”Reality TV promises its audiences revelatory insight into the lives of others as it withholds and subverts full access to it.” Ouellette and Murray

Why RTV isn’t real… No TV image is real, the camera always focus on one thing while leaving others out of its view Unscripted doesn’t mean unplanned  The role of producers Editors further craft a story

Financial issues and RTV No unionized actors, unknowns are best No writers therefore no writers’ strikes! Easily contrived sets, no need for location shoots in most cases Development of and decrease in prices for handheld video leads to America’s Funniest Home Videos, Cops Commercial tie-ins and product placements— American Idol, Coke, wireless phones, text messaging, etc.

Why might reality TV be dangerous? It lowers our anxieties about surveillance and increases the chances we will cede our privacy rights to government Gresham’s Law: The bad crowds out the good. Reality TV is popular, cheap, and entertaining…everything public service TV isn’t Will it destroy our notions of the real?

Ethical Issues in Reality Television What are the lengths to which television can go? What is inappropriate material for a television show?  Paternity tests….apparently not!  An intervention for a drug addict…not so fast!  Confronting a cheating spouse? Not according to Cheaters, Inc.