Content area
Reality television has recently experienced a surge in programming and viewership. Networks are prolifically creating reality shows because they are much less expensive than their fictional counterparts. In addition, reality programs are capturing high viewing audiences for low production costs. Viewers flock to reality programs because they seem to offer something different from the standard television fare of sitcoms and dramas. As a result, reality television has left an indelible mark on popular culture.
Along with its growth in programming and ratings, the range of what is being labeled “reality TV” has become divergent and unwieldy. The genre of reality television seems to be expanding, encompassing many different shows. Thus, it is essential, at this developmental stage, to explore what reality television truly is. This study examines how academics, viewers and media producers and professionals understand, interpret and characterize reality television. It asks how separate, but integral elements of the reality television process—the media producer/professional, the viewer and the academic—think about the development, production techniques and characteristics of reality television programming.
The current study offers a triangulated analysis, using multiple sources and multiple methods. First, a textual analysis was conducted to discover how academics understand and critically evaluate reality programming. Second, focus groups with viewers were conducted to grasp how viewers interpret and categorize reality television. Finally, in-depth interviews and a document analysis were completed with media producers and professionals working with reality programming content to discover how they examine and portray reality programming.
In general, academics, viewers, media producers and professionals agree that reality programs contain the following characteristics: no script, real people, and real, unrehearsed reactions to some event or situation. All three groups acknowledged that production techniques are used to enhance the viewing experience; however, no one believed that they were used to an extent that influenced or manipulated the participants of reality programming. Thus, the present study helps clarify how different media users understand reality television programming.