American TV Audience Attraction to Faux Celebrity TV - Essay Example

American TV Audience Attraction to Faux Celebrity Television Interacting with strangers can make you develop interests in something that you would have never come your way if you chose to remain alone. While at Ohio, I was bored with the long winter period. I had spent most of my time playing violent video games, something I limited myself because I had been scared by current researches on how this games impacts one personality development. I used to complement this leisure time activity with few television programs that I did not enjoy that much. As the winter came to an end, I was traveling to California to meet an old friend. The journey was long and boredom overtook me. Considering that it was hard to sleep and I did not have any storybook to take me through the journey I decided to talk a friend next to me in the train. Fortunately, he was also willing to let me know him. We began by knowing each other names and created some jokes on what we knew about California. I began to talk about how the winter period was boring in Ohio. I told John that I did not find something that would make my time interesting. I explained to John that I was a lover of violent video games but I was controlling myself because of its impacts a person’s personality. I wanted to know what he did to keep him occupied during winter. He said that at first, it was also boring for him. Then how did it change? John retorted that he went to visit a friend who introduced him to a certain television program that he ended up enjoying and could not abandon it for something else. This was interesting because he had told me earlier that he used to hate television until he met his new friend. He retorted that the TV program that made him enjoy the remaining time of winter at Ohio was entitled “Real Housewives”. On reaching California, I was motivated to find out want this program entitled. I began by searching on internet information about it. I was fascinated that this program was viewed in different parts of the world giving it numerous audiences. I decided to compare it with similar genres to see whether they attracted a similar huge audience or this program was unique on its own. Being a reality television genre, I searched for other two genres which in included “Desperate Housewives” and “Real Husbands of Hollywood”. These similar genres had received higher viewership not only in America but in other parts of the world like the United Kingdom. I further searched different websites and learned that reality TV entertainment was now popular and dominated television viewership. The fact the celebrity in this genres were faux did not kill the number of viewership. This made me to believe that this genre had other factors that were making it attract a high number of viewers when compared to other genres. This is because other genres like documentaries have genuine celebrities that one can find interest to emulate or learn from. Despite this reality, people are not moved to make such genres popular. Even though faux celebrity television characters are not genuine, it is the experiences of the audiences to different issues and lifestyles that attract them to this popular TV genre. The reality TV shows are watched by Americans because of their addiction to glamour and wealth. The desire to be wealthy and glamorous has been a dream of many Americans. For instance, in the past years, America had a dream where people were working to have better life where each person was self-sufficient. At some point, this dream was corrupted because people began to consider money as the best idea in leaving a high class life. With this dream, Americans use the reality TV shows as a way of fantasizing on a life of gained status that results from automatic fame. With this shows ordinary people can begin to imagine that they are likely to become famous when making their way to the television. This does not matter to them because they have a belief that as long as the celebrities that are being portrayed in unfavorable light it does not matter because they are being watched all over by the public. This strengthened by the fact that some celebrities developed their status from nowhere. For instance, some short term celebrities like Collen Haskell capitalized on their first appearance in the reality shares to become popular (Hill 37). After appearance in the Survivor series, he later gained major roles in other films like Richard Hart and The Animal. If such nobodies made their way through reality TV, then some viewers believe that it can also easier for them (Reiss and Wiltz n.pag.). Precisely, the reality TV message is that ordinary people can make it and be watched by millions. Interestingly, some viewers have the thought that one day they become new celebrities in this popular genre (Reiss and Wiltz n.pag). The impact of reality TV shows on intimacy is what makes them admirable. The shows have been significant in the way people value relationships (Kavka 90). Since the beginning of modernization, the American society has changed a great deal. The way people value intimacy relationship has changed. In olden days, women and men had their distinct roles. However, these roles have changing (Sender 54). The reality TV shows have been significant in trying to shape the way this relationship should be treated in this modern age. This has been significant especially for women viewers. Influential women learn from these shows as they try to balance between relationship and their works or other income generation activities. This is as seen in the “Real House Wives” series. The show also portrays the way different forms of media influence the behaviors of different people. For example, in the shows it is easier to learn how people use technology to interact and solve situations. This is an interesting part to the youth who seem to value technology. It also reveals the impacts of this technology especially on the development of relationships (Pennycook 78). Reality television has existed in America for longer periods and it appears like part of their culture. In the United States, the reality television is one of the oldest genres. It has existed there for decades. It has been part in strengthening a given culture. Americans have been learning some of their cultures from these shows. For instance, it has been significant in the development of the desire of the glamorous culture. This culture is valued in the celebrity world. Considering that it was also established a while ago, the most American television embrace this programs. This is strengthened by the fact that they are easy to produce when compared to the shows that require the involvement of a professional celebrity. In this regard, most of the televisions viewers find themselves growing up while addicted to the reality shows. This now becomes part of their culture, which is hard to abandon in the old age. Statistics indicate the out of 85 percent of 80 percent have watched the reality shows and still watch them (Sender 75). This implies that as most people grow in the United States they have already been addicted to the reality TV shows. The high rate of viewing has been made possible by the advancement in technology. In the United States, the access to different forms of technolog1y is earlier for different ages. Advancement such as Youtube has made it easier to watch different programs in different environments. The youth are the most that have benefited from these improvements because they are good at embracing technology when compared to the old. Different forms of media have also made it easier to make advertisement of media shows and thus attracting a large number of viewers (McClain 34). Considering the power of advertisement, most people are convinced to watch these programs. The ability of the reality TV shows to cater for the different needs of the audiences also gives them popularity among the American’s audience. In any work, one has to ensure that he attends to the needs of audience to make it desirable. As people select a given work, they have different needs. For example, while watching a movie or a documentary, one seeks to be educated, entertained, or interacts with others. However, some genres cannot meet multiple consumer needs. For example, some movies are only suitable for entertainment and thus one cannot learn from it. Reality programs have become strong because they can serve different purposes among audience. They can educate entertain and also increase ones socialization process. This implies that the shows attract audiences with different needs. An audience with the need of being educated can choose to view a show that he deem that it is not entertaining. This is because they perceive that their need is met. With this ability to serve multiple purposes, the shows have become popular and cannot be watched by audiences of different backgrounds. The desire to fit in a given class also drives some Americans to watch reality shows. Considering that the shows have had a high number of viewers, it is also used as a way on social interaction. People at workplaces talk about them and they are the best ways of making conversations to move forward. This experiences forces different people to be updated on reality shows so that they do not appear to be out of place when they visit a given region. It is one way of one trying to be familiar with current events and avoid being seen to be remaining backward. Also, the ability to interact with faux celebrity encourages good rating on reality shows and hence an increase in the number of viewers. In some reality shows, audiences find an opportunity to interact with the faux celebrities. For example, audiences can be expected to vote, or give their opinions on how the show should be shaped or what should befall a celebrity. The rate of increased interaction forces the audiences to value this shows. This is very significant for those who value human interaction. This interaction is the best way that also makes improvement in the rating. This is because an audience feels he or she is part of the show and thus finds it necessary to provide a good rating. Faux celebrity also has a great influence on intimate relationships. Intimate relationships have been changing for longer periods. People have different expectations in these relationships and thus they are also willing to learn on new ways on how to handle them. Faux celebrities have been instrumental in addressing different issues in these relationships as they relate to the modern age. For instance, they provide educative ideas on the expectations of influential women in the relationships. Through the use of different forms of media, it becomes earlier to learn from women based in different parts of the world. Precisely, the desire to maintain health intimate relationships compels some people to obtain ideas from these celebrities. The faux celebrities in TV shows are always thrilling. These shows are always new and nobody can tell who will emerge victorious at the end. Unlike some movies where a person can tell who will prevail in the past, the reality shows always create new expectations. In some shows, it is hard to tell who will make it in the long last. The celebrity has to work his way out as expected in regard to the normal environmental conditions. The creation of platform for a new thing is thrilling to different viewers. It encourages them to come for a new experience. This is achieved form the feature in which the shows are not scripted. This gives them a reality nature that makes it hard for some audiences to understand whether there is some fakeness in it (Lorenzo and Pilar, 45). To conclude, Even though faux celebrity television characters are not genuine, it is the experiences of the audiences to different issues and lifestyles that attract them to this popular TV genre. Consumers find it interesting because they have an opportunity to interact with the celebrities, unlike, professional celebrities, faux celebrities are always on-coming and thus it is easy to interact with. This is encouraged by the desire for glamorous life among the American citizens. Also, the desire for wealth also makes people to view this shows to help them fantasize of what they should expect. Also, the advancement in technology has increased the number of viewers because it they can be accessed in different forms and at different places. Technology has also made it easier to create advertisements and attract audiences form different regions. The ways reality shows are designed also make it easier to attract different viewers. The show can meet needs of different audiences and thus making them attractive. They can educate, entertain and also increase ones socialization. Their touch on intimate life also makes them attractive. They provide ideas on how intimate relationships have changed with change in human roles due to modernization. Finally, the existence of these shows in American history for longer periods has made them to appear like part of their culture. Some people have imagined that they should watch tem so that they feel that they are part of the United States population Works Cited Hill, Annette. Reality: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. Hove: Psychology Press, 2006. Print. Kavka, Misha. Reality Television, Affect Intimacy: Reality Matters (Language Discourse, Society Series). New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. Print. Lorenzo, Dus Nuria and Pilar, Garces. Reality Television and Discourse Analysis in Action. Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. New York: Print. McClain, Amanda Scheinder. Keeping up the Kardashian Brand: Celebrity, Materialism, and Sexuality. Lexington Books, 2013. Print. Pennycook, Alastair. Language as Local Practice. London: Routledge, 2010. Print. Reiss, Steven and Wiltz, James. Why America Loves Reality TV. 2001. Web. 14th April 2014. < http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200109/why-america-loves-reality-tv> Sender, Katherine. Critical Cultural Communication. New York: NYU Press, 2012. Print. Read More