Response #2: Reality TV Doesn't Reflect Me (But I Still Watch it)

Here's the link to the original article this is a response too.

I selected this article because I am both a cynic and a hypocrite when it comes to "reality" television. I love The Jersey Shore, not because I believe the people on it are real, but simply because it comes off to me as pure comedic entertainment. It's funny to see people so stuck in their own little worlds, and now I watch it just for the big egos these people have. The cast has so much money now, obviously, yet still let MTV shut them into a house with no sort of media (computer, cell phones, TV, etc.) and are forced to sleep on twin beds, some three to a room. I know they don't realize it but because they are forced to spend so much time with each other it's obvious that fights or drama will ensue. I am also a cynic since most reality shows come off to me as complete garbage. I have a friend who is really into Keeping Up with the Kardashians and they just appear to me as such attention seeking morons that I have to leave the room, it gives me that big of a headache.


The article starts off with a bang and quickly attacks the production companies and networks themselves. In the first paragraph it explains just how deep product placement goes onto the sets and how much sponsors work with the networks to incorporate their product. It's pretty gross. It also mentions how cheap it is to produce a reality TV show which makes sense, even though I hadn't thought of it before. "It’s true that some reality shows—American Idol, The Bachelor—have gotten high ratings, but many others languish with paltry ratings and they get to stay [on air] because these shows are really cheap to produce. It can cost about 50 per cent less—sometimes even 75 per cent less—to make a reality show than to make a quality scripted program." This is very silly to me. It shows that networks aren't really considering their viewers at all, which just isn't how you should run a network. You should be trying to entice your audience with what interests them and let the advertisements come through this.

 It also mentions "frankenbites" where bits of conversation from the cast is edited to make a conversation sounds different then it originally was, in one case they used audio from another day and put it on a scene of a forest to make it appear as if two members of the cast were having sex in the woods. This is awful, I just don't see how the editors could morally do this knowing that it might ruin someone's personal life back at home.

I like towards the end that the person being interviewed was able to flip the coin and admit to liking some reality shows. We are all guilty of this. This gave her more credibility in my book. I do know that all the shows are being edited and chopped up, but some reality shows are interesting in the fact that they are promoting an interest or a talent, and are streamlined to reach a certain audience such as aspiring fashion designers, chefs, or artists. Although there is drama in those shows too it's more about the final product the contestants are making which shines through.