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Reality Television: An Outsider’s Assessment

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

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Reality Television: An Outsider’s Assessment

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

  2. 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… Grappling with Definitions

  3. Genre Conventions and Sub-genres • Game show RTV—Big Brother, Survivor • Dating show RTV—Joe Millionaire, Elimidate • Makeover/Lifestyle RTV—WhatNot to Wear, Queer Eye…, Extreme Makeover • Docusoaps—Real World, HS Reunion, Cheerleader Nation • Talent Contest RTV—AmericanIdol • Popular Court RTV—Judge Judy, Divorce Court • Reality Sitcoms—AnnaNicole Show, The Osbournes, Fat Actress

  4. 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

  5. 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!

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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—AmericanIdol, Coke, wireless phones, text messaging, etc.

  9. 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?

  10. 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.

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