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Globalization
of Popular Culture
Reality TV: The genre that spread like a virus
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Researcher: |
Kelly Lydon
(Kelifu@aol.com) |
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Topic Description: |
Within the past few years
in the United States, reality television programs have become some of the
most watched shows on television. At the same time, it is important to recognize
that this genre of television is not solely concentrated within the U.S. I intend to examine and discuss the
nature of reality TV shows in China, Germany, India, and the United States.
While discussing the content of these shows, I will also examine why these
programs have become such an integral part of television popular culture. |
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Discussion of Topic: |
“A population which once more centers its
interest in the home will inherit the earth, and find it good. It will be a matured population, with
hours for leisure in small homes, away from today’s crowded
apartments. Such a picture will
be ideally adapted to the benefits and physical limitations of
television. This new magic will
enter and become a vital element of the daily life.” (Newcomb, 5) In 1942, Lee DeForest, one of the
technical pioneers of television, had this vision of what the impact of
television would be. DeForest
understood what the increase in leisure time, due to the shortened workweek,
would mean for the world of entertainment. This concept is not new. In sociologically studying many other aspects of popular
culture we too have come to realize the impact that leisure time has on forms
of entertainment and pop culture.
Without it, popular culture simply would not exist. It is in our times of leisure that
human beings have fostered the success of Shakespeare, the saloons, shopping
and television. Because so much of our leisure time is now
spent watching television, this medium has continued to flourish since its
beginnings. What was once a
forum for a few family sitcoms and variety shows has now become a vehicle
that leads us to whatever form of entertainment we want. With almost one hundred channels
available to some, it has now become possible to choose from numerous genres
at one time. From dramatic shows
to situation comedies, cartoons and even MTV, we are able to fall into
whatever forms of escape suit us.
After all, it is escape that television really offers us. It is escape from our every day
lives, into the fantasy lives of those who live in the world of
television. But over the past
few years a new genre has come about.
It is a form of programming known as reality TV. In the past ten years, reality television has
spread faster than almost any other form of television programming. In essence, it has spread like a
virus, taking over almost every channel available on the box. It offers a new and different form of
escape, but it offers an escape nonetheless. Reality television fulfills the desire that almost all
humans have felt at one time or another…the wish to be a fly on the wall.
(Bergamo, 1) Reality shows are
popular for one basic reason:
Watching them allows us to imagine what we’d do in an extreme
situation, whether it’s being cast away on an island, confined in a house
with strangers, or offered a prize to serve as a playground for rats.
(Weintraub, 1) They are another
obvious form of escape, but different from the escapism obtained from, let us
say, a soap opera. Reality shows
offer up real people, not celebrities.
It is easier for the audience to identify with a situation when
non-celebrities are involved.
Because reality programming makes it easier for us to picture
ourselves in the situation, it also helps to make the escape feel a little
bit more “real”. As I stated before, this genre known as
reality programming is not limited to the United States by any means. It has become a primary element of
popular culture and has also become a global phenomenon. It is important for us, as part of
this global audience, to gain a better understanding of these programs here
at home and across the globe. |
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Method(s): |
I will examine websites that are hopelessly
devoted to the genre of reality TV, read newspaper articles from within the
U.S. and other countries, and research literature on the history of
television. |
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Findings and Data: |
Reality TV shows come in many different
forms. Game shows, blind-date shows,
and challenge shows are just a few of the different varieties. But according to Karla Peterson of
the San Diego Tribune, they all have a few basic elements: (1)
Find a bunch of people who are highly verbal and willing to unpack their
emotional baggage in the global living room; (2) Toss your
contestants/victims into a camera-equipped fishbowl; (3) Provide ample
opportunities for competition and betrayal; (4) Stand back while the mix hits
the fan. What’s the lure of all
this? Well, it’s simple really
and it applies both in the U.S. and abroad. It can be summed up in one word: voyeurism. As
human beings with leisure time on our hands, we like to watch things. Problem is, we tend to get tired of
watching the same old formula (situation comedy, night-time soaps,
etc.). Reality television seems
to have its place among all the “same old stuff”. One question remains. Where did they come from? Many might assume that they
originated in the U.S. But this
is untrue. In actuality,
television producers across Europe had been partaking in this kind of
programming for years. Shows
taping a group of strangers in a house together were popular in Holland long
before anyone knew they existed here.
“Millionaire-like” game shows were another popular form of reality TV
in Europe and Asia as well.
Eventually, television producers in America strapped on their
binoculars and spotted a hit overseas.
In 1992, MTV produced one of the first reality television programs
that still remains a hit today: The
Real World. Time progressed,
and the U.S. major networks saw a diamond in the rough. Soon enough, television production
companies around the world would realize the power of reality TV. Why did the industry take such notice? This is an important question to ask, considering the success this genre has had. Again, the answer is the same, across the globe. Money. Television reality programs are much less expensive to produce than almost any other genre. Network bosses were complaining how TV shows are increasingly expensive to produce while cable competition steals the audience, which, in turn, means ad revenue goes down. The simple conclusion? Filmed dramas and comedies, with all those costly actors and writers, have become an extravagance. What was the solution? Reality is easy on the pocketbook. Besides, with reality's anything-can-happen allure, it can seize an audience. (Moore, 2) Unlike the sitcom or the hour-long episodic, both of which rely heavily upon writers, story editors, and paid actors, reality television is relatively inexpensive to produce. (Howley) So what’s the global appeal? It seems to be that no matter what
country you’re from, reality TV is yet another form of escape. It’s new and it’s different, but at
the core, it remains the same.
It allows viewers to step into another realm, one that is outside the
monotony of everyday life.
Reality TV is indicative of a society enamored with voyeurism,
titillation, and spectacle. (Howley) Most of us are familiar with the reality programs
that exist in the U.S., but many of us are unaware of the varieties that
exist oversees. Following is a
list of data on the nature of the reality programs airing in China, Germany,
India, and the U.S. ChinaReality Game: Follows 12 men and women as they cope
with life in an old-fashioned village stripped of modern conveniences, where
they will be progressively voted off the show. Producers will dress contestants in traditional clothing
and place them in a village with two 19th-century houses. All traces of modern life will be
hidden from the contestants to recreate the spirit of the past, and
contestants will be expected to forage for their food. The
male and female contestants will live separately in two traditional houses
set on a large plot where farming and fishing will be key to their
survival. Reality Game’s
winner will receive $11,135 dollars. (Agence France-Presse) Survival Challenge: Sixteen people are abandoned on a
small island in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. They pick weeds and
hunt for locusts to survive. They spend two futile hours rubbing sticks
together for a fire while the hunger and cold gnaw at their insides. Participants include a train
attendant, police officer, teacher and security guard. The oldest is a
55-year-old ad designer from Hong Kong, the youngest a 19-year-old girl from
Hunan Province. Although there is no
cash prize, many are motivated by stardom. (Chao, 1a) Happy Dictionary: Complete with the same lifelines and
a host with the same annoying habit of asking, "Is that your final
answer?" (Chao, 1a) GermanyCA$H: Another variant of the American “Who
Wants to be a Millionaire?” Big Diet: Overweight contestants are put in a
luxury spa with personal trainers and booby traps like chocolate cake and
other goodies placed in strategically located places. Contestants learn how to eat healthy,
count calories and work out. The
winner was to have been awarded the weight he or she lost in gold. (Shechter,
1) Girl’s Camp: Show features a group of women on a
deserted and a man tasked with seducing them. (Shechter, 1) Big Brother: Same basic concept as the American
version, but the winner gets $125,000.
By far, one of the most successful of this genre in Germany. IndiaIndia has just recently started jumping on the
reality TV bandwagon. To date,
the most well-known reality show in this region is a version of the American
“Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”
This show has become so popular that its host is one of the biggest
celebrities in the country. This
winter, two of India’s premier channels will enter into the realm of reality
TV with matchmaker shows. Not
yet titled, these shows will allow a woman to choose her groom from a group
of suitors. This is a process
known as Swayamvar in India.
Once the woman chooses her suitor, the couple will make a formal vow
to marry and exchange rings. (Sirvastava, 1-2) United StatesTo list all of the reality shows offered in the
United States would take up way to much space. Here is a list of some of the most
popular. Fear Factor
(NBC): Torturous and
over-the-top gross-out stunts push the envelope as six contestants compete
for $50,000 by enduring some of their worst nightmares. The Mole
(ABC): A group of men and women subject themselves to
psychological tests and mental and physical challenges while trying to
discover who among them is " the other " trying to thwart their
efforts. Big Brother(CBS): 38 cameras, 62 microphones, and 12
exhibitionists. The longest-lasting loser wins $500,000. Survivor (CBS):
16 strangers on a “deserted location”, on two teams vote each other
out, and only the best strategist/manipulator/liar wins $1 million. The Real World (MTV):
Seven strangers, picked to live in a house and have their lives
taped... you know the rest. The prize is fame. Temptation Island (FOX): Couples head to a fantasy island where their commitment to each other is tested by hot, lusty singles. (entire list provided by: Willdorf, 1-3) |
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Conclusions: |
After investigating the distribution of
reality television programs on a global level, one thing has become clear…the
impact that this genre has had is like no other. The interesting thing about reality TV is that it seems to
remain the same across the globe.
There is little, if any, variation in the content of these shows. Obviously the global industry has
recognized a successful form and done everything in its power to maintain
it. While every country and society
has its own cultural standards and norms, these shows all seem to reflect one
common thread among all of us.
Human beings are human beings and we’re naturally voyeuristic. There is something enjoyable about
spending our leisure time watching people in extreme situations from the
comforts of our own homes. These
programs have without a doubt become an integral part of television popular
culture. The fantasy surrounding
dramas and sitcoms has been transformed into a more tangible fantasy through
reality TV programs. We’re
convinced that it’s real, so it’s easier to transport ourselves there. Many have now come to question how long this
genre will last. Some believe,
although in the cases of Survivor and “Who Wants to be a
Millionaire?” ratings don’t necessarily reflect it, that the genre is
coming to an end. They feel that
audiences have “caught on” to the themes behind these shows, and that they
are no longer interested. Oddly
enough, over the next five months more than thirty new reality shows are
scheduled to air on the broadcast networks. However, since the tragedy of September 11, 2001, many in
the industry are worried that the reality of everyday life has become so
intense that it will act like an antibiotic to kill off this genre that has
spread like a virus. |
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References: |
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