“In 1948, Candid Camera aired for the first time. Alan Funt was thought to be the originator of what we now call reality TV. In the 1950’s, came Truth or Consequence. In these programs people were recorded in their natural surrounds and their reactions to different situations. In the 1970’s PBS aired what would be the reality programming of our time in a show called An American Family. An American Family followed a family around in their real life and watched every personal moment unveil in front of them. ” (Slocum, 2010) The research paper shows how reality TV provides negative values. Many people watch reality shows for entertainment.
With hundreds of choices to choose from Reality TV has taken over TV in a big way. There is even a station called Reality TV that airs Reality shows all day every day. In a society where the television has become a substitute baby sitter for some family’s children are being subjected to negativity on a daily basis. 20 years ago, all parents had to worry about was dramatized violence on TV and in video games. Today, with the amount of reality shows on television children can see to the real thing. With shows like Jersey Shore, and Real World showing partying all the time, younger viewers will think it is ok to do the same.
These are just a few examples of the shows that are discussed in this paper. “These shows may be profitable, but the primary basis for many of them seems to be to put people in painful, embarrassing or humiliating situations for the rest of us to watch — and, presumably, be entertained. This assault on our intelligence is not healthy for the soul or our kids. I worry that we are turning our young people into callous, uncaring individuals who delight in the discomfort and humiliation of others. Instead, we should be encouraging young people to reach out to others less fortunate, who need our empathy, help and prayer.
We should also be introducing young people to different “reality stars” who have overcome great odds, and whose achievements should inspire them to reach high and then use that success to help others” (James Key 2006). Today we have so many choices of shows to watch on TV yet, most people tune into reality programs. TV offers a wide variety of reality shows. There are survival shows, shows about families, lifestyles, and game shows. On shows like Bad Girls Club, Jersey Shore, and Real World for example, 20 something year olds party hard.
There is no limit to the drinking and sleeping around that is done on these shows. Women are showed partying with their roommates and friends and bringing home different men that they just met and having sex. The actual sex may not be being shown but a glimpse of what is being done is showed for all to see. The language is another issue. With the amount of swearing heard on TV today, even young children are starting to cuss. There are very few words that are bleeped out of the shows and the ones that are bleeped you can still make out because in most instances only the middle of the word is censored.
There is no end to what is allowed on these shows, except fighting with each other, but everything else is no holds barred Jack Ass, Viva La Bamm, and Wild Boys are reality shows where a crew of mainly skateboarder men performs dangerous stunts. Trying to jump a car over a lake, dropping different items off roofs on to each other’s privates, and stunts with animals is glamorized in these shows. The message to adolescence is that it is fun to hurt yourself go ahead and try it. Reality TV has begun to explode all over our televisions.
With shows like Jersey Shore, Bad Girls Club, Kardasians, and Real World, we are teaching our children the harsh realities of life. Shows like these project violence, sex, and drinking. Jack Ass, Viva La Bamm, and Wild Boys are another type of reality show that depicts harmful stunts performed by professionals. With the warning do not try this at home; many young people will try it. America’s Next Top Model, Project Runway, and What Not to Wear to name a few, are shows they tell people you cannot be happy with who you are. In these shows people are made to believe you have to look a certain way in order for you to be accepted.
Conform to what certain people feel you should look like or be ostracized. Shows like these make people feel like they can’t express themselves, be how they want to be. Without the uniqueness of people everyone would look the same. There should be a limit as to what is portrayed in Reality TV. Its core values are demoralizing to our children and young adults. The juvenile antics portrayed on the stunt shows and the excessive drinking, sex and violence is a misleading representation of true life. Unfortunately, these are the role models of today As you can see, reality TV is bad. The amount of negativity portrayed on this shows are atrocious.
Society thrives on the misfortunes and adolescent antics portrayed in reality shows. Instead of standing up doing something about viewers tune in every week to see if Kourtney and Scott are going to break up. Will Wee Man get hurt this week? Who will Tyra and gang vote off this week? Look at Snooki, she is so crazy. “The problem with reality TV is that many viewers have become more interested in participants than people around them. … The new reality shows have their roots in Candid Camera and America’s Funniest Home Video’s, but there is an important difference: newer shows include more salacious material (sex and violence).
And often promote individual ruthlessness. ” (Breyer pg. 15 2004) ? References 1) The Real History of Reality TV Or, How Alan Funt Won the Cold War Written by Charles B. Slocum, WGAW Assistant Executive Director http://www. wga. org/organizesub. aspx? id=1099 2) ‘Reality TV’ numbs real-life empathy James Key. USA TODAY. McLean, Va. : Jul 30, 2010. pg. A. 9 http://www. usatoday. com/news/opinion/forum/2010-07-30-column30_ST2_N. htm 3) At * Issue Mass Media Reality TV – Edited by Lankford, Ronnie D. (2008) Richard Breyer, Professor at the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University Greenhaven Press page 15
