According to Hill (2005, p107), “The
category of reality TV is commonly used to describe a range of popular factual
programming”. This quotation means Reality TV is a program casting with real
people, not actors and reality TV can involves various situations and events
from people to pets, from nothing to something. Every material for reality TV
is closely related with viewer’s life. The people are usually either placed in
competition with each other, caught in embarrassing moments (Hill, 2005).
It is not too much to say that reality TV
has been developing alongside with development of television. Reality TV has
only gained popularity with audience. As a television industry has been developing,
it is possible to be applied with various attempts and features of reality TV
to television show, especially competition programs for huge prize such as America's
Funniest Home Videos and American idol.
Reference
Hill, A. (2005). The reality genre. In A.
Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (pp.14-40). Oxon: Routledge.
Hi Ben:) I agree with you! Also I want to mention with your ideas. The major reason why reality TV is so popular is that it has a lot of potential. Firstly, for programme makers, since reality TV has links to all sorts of genres, it enables producers to make types of TV shows limitlessly. It can be a programme which treats serious topic such as police and criminals, or it also could be an entertaining programme such as a game show. Therefore, reality TV is relatively easy to treat for TV producers. Furthermore, having limitless types of genres is obviously good for audience as well, so audience can find a favourite programme from wide choices. In addition, the features of reality TV like use of non-professional actors/actresses and unscripted dialogue can attract audience. Since ordinary people who do not have any experience being on TV shows appear on TV without any prepared script, audience can see ‘real’ situations; can enjoy ‘see it happen’ situation. Nobody knows what will happen and each person act differently to the same event, so audience can have a little surprise or fun and they never get bored. Similarly, people can observe this situation in game shows. It might be true that TV producers edit to look a little more dramatic, but what people do in those game show is real, and again, it gives audience the situation of ‘see it happen’ with some excitements. Thus, reality TV is very popular for programme makers and audience.
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