Reality TVWhat is reality television? What do you think this unit of work is about?

Compare these two clips, how real are they?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJaY9EO7Ej4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ivx3uOfHz4k

ALL reality TV shows are constructed to a certain degree, whether that’s having some scripted elements, getting people to do certain activities, or just having a camera follow someone.

ALL reality TV shows are constructed to a certain degree, whether that’s having some scripted elements, getting people to do certain activities, or just having a camera follow someone.

What is Reality TV? What is Reality TV?

- television programmes in which real people are continuously filmed, designed to be entertaining rather than informative.

Genre – what sort of show is it?

This isn’t as simple as you might think. A show like ‘Big Brother’ could be classed as:

Documentary (social experiment exploring human behaviour under ‘artificial’ pressures.)

Soap opera (based on a community)

Docu-soap (real life in a studio setting)

Game show ($100,000 prize money)

Brainstorm a list of shows that might fall into each of these

categories:• 'Fly on the wall' reality TV shows (such as Airport,

The Osborne's, RPA).

• 2. TV-generated reality TV shows (such as Temptation Island, Survivor, Shipwrecked, Big Brother). These are shows which want to make money!

• 3. Shows that blend the two (such as Dating in the Dark).

Why do we watch reality TV?

Uses and audience impact.

How about this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuWVwf9rPJI

Is it wrong to enjoy watching people humiliate themselves?

Is it right ethically that adolescents are catapulted into the spotlight when they have a history mental health problems or dysfunctional backgrounds?

Why is it funny to watch people fail? How are these people represented?

Is it fair that people like Kyle Sandilands are allowed to increase the humiliation with scathing remarks?

Why do we enjoy watching this type of program?

Voyeurism

Voyeurism is a term used to describe the pleasure that people get from watching other people.

First TV show to play on this was Candid Camera:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qHc6OgPs5E

People were filmed without their knowledge, in humourous situations. Again, audiences enjoyed watching the humiliation.

Voyeurism

This trend continued with more modern shows like Trigger Happy TV http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTV-YxOwLdA

And more recently, Punk’d http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpAGztnw3WA

And more hilariously, Rio Ferdinand’s World Cup Wind-ups: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZkcqeImKmc

Voyeurism

Punk’d and Rio Ferdinand’s show are both attractive to watch for audiences because famous people are being targeted.

Is it right that shows like Trigger Happy should target ‘normal’ members of the public? Should we be allowed to watch their humiliation?

Are people being exploited, or is it ok for companies to make money from these shows because the people agree to participate?

How are they represented? Why are they chosen?

Participants

Participants

Teenage girl Homosexual

Biker Geek

STEREOTYPES!

Participants

Stereotypes are important because they help us to relate the participants with other, similar types of people we know. This stimulates our interest in the programme.

Collaborative Questions

Do you think they have reality programs in Mongolia?

Do you watch reality TV? Why or why not?

Why do some people dislike reality TV programs?

Why do people like reality TV?

Why do you believe it is so successful?

Bad Taste?

Some reality shows have really pushed boundaries.

Wifeswap http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P4VFjA1WYc&feature=related invaded the family home and swapped family members

Ibiza Uncovered http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ft-ToMWFws showed how young British people spent their holidays – producing a very negative representation of young people.

What values do these shows present to audiences?

Task

Create a table of reality TV shows, and then the groups of people that they represent in a good light, and those they represent in a bad light. (if any…)

Choose six reality TV shows using the table below and categorize into how you believe they represent their characters to the audience.

Reality Show Good Representation

Bad Representation

Police, Camera, Action

Police Criminals