Reality Television Essay

Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people or even professional actors. The genre has existed in some form or another since the early years of television. Programs in the reality television genre are commonly called “reality shows” and often are produced in series. Documentaries and nonfictional programming such as news and sports shows are usually not classified as reality shows.

Reality television frequently portrays a modified and highly influenced form of reality, utilizing sensationalism to attract viewers and so to generate advertising profits.

Subjects of a reality show may be given some rudimentary directions off-screen, but the point is to allow the performers to act and react as normally as possible. History: Precedents for television that portrayed people in unscripted situations began in the 1940s. Debuting in 1948, Allen Funt’s Candid Camera, broadcast unsuspecting ordinary people reacting to pranks.

It has been called the “granddaddy of the reality TV genre.

” Reality shows in India date back to the Channel V’s talent hunt for making of a musical band. The band of girls called Viva that emerged from this show enjoyed short-lived popularity but marked the beginning of reality shows in India. Superstar Amitabh Bachchan’s Kaun Banega Crorepati, which was the Indian version of Who wants to be a Millionaire, was a major hit with the audience in India. What followed next was a flood of reality shows, many of them being adaptations of the pre-existing western versions.

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Genres: Celeb-Reality: Reality shows with celebrities are a rage with the audience. Prank-Reality: Reality shows that involve pranks played on ordinary people and capturing their candid reaction. Game Shows: Reality shows that are based on games. Talent Hunts: Reality shows that are looking for talented people be it singers, dancers or even actors. Job-hunts: Shows that are synonymous with live on air interviews are listed under this category. Makeovers: Reality shows with make over stories.

Be it a personal makeover or a home make over, these shows are very popular with the audience. Dating-Shows: Reality shows that gave a platform for dating men and women on air. Adventure/Fear based shows: A genre of TV shows that challenges the participants with difficult and weird tasks. Some reality shows provide artists a good platform to get noticed, some shows help people win money and fame but almost all of them keep the audience hooked on to the action and craving for more. Advantages:

Instant fame: Fame seekers may claim that reality TV’s biggest advantage comes in its unrivaled ability to produce more “15 minutes of fame” stars than other TV genres. A reality show provides exposure that people could not get anywhere else, giving non-celebrities the potential to become household names and land opportunities that otherwise may evade them Achieving One’s Dream: Competitive reality programs offer another advantage to participants: the opportunity to follow dreams, land big breaks or win large amounts of cash.

Viewers, in turn, may think they can accomplish the same and apply. Disadvantages: Lack of Privacy: Participants also have to deal with reality TV disadvantages. Applicants need to read the fine print in every legal document they sign, as a personal release form gives TV producers the rights to film them during every aspect of the program. If you apply to appear on a reality program, you have no grounds to complain about lack of privacy, or that you cannot control what ends up on TV.

Every stipulation usually appears in personal and location release forms, as well as informed consent forms. Harmful Effects to Reputation: When participants surrender their rights to privacy, they may not consider reality TV’s long-term effects, subjecting themselves to potentially humiliating events that harm their reputation. If participants engage in questionable behavior and it appears on television, it could impact their relationships with family and friends, not to mention employers and the law.

Criticism: Reality television criticism ranges extensively. One such complaint is from professional actors and writers in the industry. As the surge in popularity from reality television has gained speed, this means more shows based on reality television and fewer programs based on the skills or talents of actors. As such, many actors and writers are complaining that the popularity of reality TV means less work for the thousands who have poured their life and soul into the industry for years prior.

Reality television criticisms also hover around how well reality television actually portrays reality. On top of this, reality television shows usually portray people in a heightened state of reality to the point of it almost being fiction. Thus, the premise behind many shows has garnered criticisms based on how fabricated the portrayed reality actually is. Additionally, through editing film crews are able to portray a situation that might have been largely underplayed in real life for the purpose of portraying drama. Should children be allowed in reality shows:

The reality TV shows offer a lot to the children- fame, money, opportunities to work with good organizations and lot more. But on the flip side, because of cut-throat competitions, failures and hard work sometimes celebrity children face the difficulty of coping up with studies and work together. They find it difficult to follow the hectic schedules on daily basis. Celebrity children don’t get time to play outdoor games, watch television, read books etc. They become so occupied with work and studies that they work day and night and leaves behind their childhood life.

On the other side, those children don’t win the contests or shows lose their self confidence and often go into depression. Daily we read so many heart rending cases of children committing suicides, just because their parents didn’t allow them to participate in shows as it was affecting their studies. Most Popular Reality Shows on Indian Television: MTV Bakra Kaun Banega Crorepati Indian Idol Sa Re Ga Ma Big Boss The Great Indian Laughter Challenge Nach Baliye Jhalak Dikhlaja Dance India Dance India’s Got Talent MTV Roadies