Reality Television: A Silent Epidemic Contorting Human Values - Essay Example

Reality Television: A Silent Epidemic Contorting Human Values Eighty years after the black and white television was born in 1927, almost 99% of households in America own a television set today and 66% of these homes have three or more TV sets (TV Free America, AC Nielsen, Co.). Since then, several types of shows that aim to inform, educate, document, entice, empathize and entertain viewers have been introduced. And now, with the advent of reality shows, local television currently imbibes its viewers with a new wave of harmful and suggestive satires that pose as entertainment, reality-mirror shows and induce a subliminal desire for material wealth and unneeded physical improvements and worldly ventures. According to an AC Neilsen, Co. survey compiled by TV Free America, an American family spends more than four hours of watching the television per day while an average undergraduate student spends approximately 10% (179.93 minutes per week) of this time watching reality shows (Leon et al., 2006). In addition, although reality shows are viewed by almost every age group, these kinds of shows are well liked among those who belong to the younger generation. They are the ones who absorb much more than information, jokes, language, music, sexual preference and lifestyle but, most often, they are exposed to wrong values and virtues that they often deem right, cool and practical. Experts from the TV Free America movement and the Australian Early Childhood Association warned that exposure of young children to violence in television is alarmingly increasing. According to their study, children are often forced to watch television as parents utilize it as a makeshift baby sitter or a decoy nanny. The report also proves that even kids show can depict violence and elicit a response that is quite similar to that of post- traumatic stress. This fact is also evident in reality television where young viewers are mostly affected because they have not yet formed their own personal values. But even as exposure to violence harms the unknowing mind of a child, so have these so called reality shows affected its older avid viewers. Previous reality shows in the game or contest format featured contestants who would lie, cheat or criticize other contestants to win and get more air time. In some cases, the mentality that “winning is everything” becomes a mantra that propels the contestants to succeed even if it takes backing out on an alliance, taking back a promise, or betraying a friend, a comrade and even a long-time lover. Money seems to be a driving force that conquers and overpowers fears and limitations (such as Fear Factor), the need for sleep (Shattered), hunger and friendship (such as Survivor), love, morals and values (such as Joe Millionaire) – all in the spirit of the game. On the other hand, reality shows of the talent/ game show format that require viewer votes and allow the count to decide who wins or not does not guarantee that contestants with exemplary skill and talent will bring home the prize. For these types of shows, it is never a level playing field. Reality shows in the format of body and self improvement are equally sensationalized and have tremendous effect on the way most people value their physical bodies over their mental, social and spiritual disposition. A comparison of the effects of a reality TV cosmetic surgery program and a reality TV home improvement program show that although self improvement shows promote an increasing desire to better physical appearance and increasing the person’s confidence in her ability to do so, this does not necessarily result in improved well being and increased positive physical outlook. Instead, according to the recent study done by Mazzeo and colleagues (2007), it contributes to reinforcing the “thin is beautiful” concept and the idea that physical beauty and how others perceive you is vital for better self confidence. They add that, based on this survey, cosmetic surgery/ make over reality programs have affected some females to have behavioral eating disorders and incur a negative outlook of her body as a result of internalizing this misleading beauty concept. Reality dating shows also become a major source of sexual information of the younger generation. Increased ratings of these types of shows have resulted in a 1000-fold increase in the number of these types of programs from 1997 to 2004. The danger lies from the fact that these types of programs are not just “sexually oriented but that they provide constricting and often negative messages about dating and relationships”. These shows have affected this generation’s attitude towards sex, sexual behavior and socialization and have created misconceptions about adult relationships (Zurbriggen and Morgan, 2006). The improper, and even untimely, exposure of the young generation to cosmetic and plastic surgery reality television shows have also affected and transformed into a culture of physical beauty driven individuals that focus more on the outcome of an operation rather than on risks and reasons why they should have the operation in the first place. Studies also show that four out of five persons who seek physical improvement and augmentation by cosmetic surgery are intensive viewers of these kinds of shows and have been influenced by the television to pursue the procedure (Crocket et al., 2007). The researchers add that the awareness, perception and knowledge of the patient on the type of reconstruction to be made as well as his or her decision making capabilities is also affected by the reality television show. At least fifty seven percent of individuals surveyed in this study who seek surgery enhancements for their bodies are avid viewers of cosmetic surgery reality television shows. Most patients also believe that they are more educated in cosmetic surgery operations and consider plastic surgery reality television to be more parallel to real life because of watching these types of reality television shows. Other reality shows of a similar medical format to plastic surgery reality show themes have also elicited fears in normal patients who are undergoing similar operations as the “characters” in the reality show. Lothian and Grauer (2003) have observed that television shows portraying real life births have elicited fears and increased unnecessary concerns on child birth to expectant parents through the years. In addition to the spills that add suspense to the show but fear to pregnant mothers, the programs often focus on high risk pregnancies and the medical mishaps that occur during child birth. In addition, constant exposure of pregnant subjects to camera lights and glare may also pose harmful effects. Other forms of reality TV shows such as documentary soap, dating, prank, celebrity reality, talk shows, sports and talent game shows, celebrity talent game shows, clinical/ medical reality programs and others have a broad spectrum influence that continues to rise as more sensationalized and new concepts for reality shows emerge. However, as stressed by Leon et al. (2006), despite criticisms, no rules can be applied for censorship or regulation of reality shows because of its broad category and nil presence of violence and pornography, which are usual grounds for restriction. In addition, these shows pose “no clear cut anti social immoral dimension” because it simply depicts human behavior. As aptly put by Leon et al., “Reality shows are not meant to inform or educate (like news), not produced in order to persuade or influence (like political advertisements), and do not necessarily or instinctively evoke negative feelings in subjects when used by researchers as a stimulus as media violence, pornography, or death metal lyrics do. Because reality television is generally seen as lowbrow but innocuous, the question of what types of perceptual gaps it produces may point to the difficulty of locating entertainment media”. The “reality” of these types of programs has also garnered attention. Certain issues that arise construe that “reality programming is production of a "reality effect," rather than realism itself”. Certain imagery, camera, editing techniques and even unrealistic time scales present a different and even exaggerated picture to the viewer that may twist his understanding of the facts about the “reality” being presented (Leon et al., 2006). Some settings of reality TV shows are also real but atypical and made worse by staged situations which are oftentimes programmed by the producer and are therefore scripted or planted. Otherwise, these shows would be boring and senseless. Reality TV bets its fame on real life emotions of people who are placed in an uncommon but “real” situation that may bring out the best or worst in him. It is a game that plays with the emotions of people who, to many viewers, are “little” celebrities that they mimic and admire. Zurbriggen and Morgan (2006) reiterate that the effect of reality television is summarized by the cultivation theory which proposes that as viewers watch more programs carrying the lucid portrayals of staged “reality”, they cultivate the message that is relayed to them and adopt it to be true. Thus, reality shows should be made accountable for the values that they transmit especially to their young viewers. And although these shows depict human reactions to unusual but real stimuli, a consensus regarding censorship should be studied in order to prevent the spread of a worldly culture that depicts life as a game to be won against all odds. References Crockett RJ, Pruzinsky T, Persing JA. “The influence of plastic surgery "reality TV" on cosmetic surgery patient expectations and decision making.” Plast Reconstr Surg. 120.1 (2007): 316-24. Leon, R; Peek, WC; Bissell, KL. “Reality television and third person perception.” Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media. 50 (2006): n.p. Lothian, JA and Grauer, A. ‘‘Reality’’ Birth: Marketing Fear to Childbearing Women. The Journal of Perinatal Education. 12.2 (2003): vi-viii. Mazzeo SE; Trace SE; Mitchell KS; Gow RW. “Effects of a reality TV cosmetic surgery makeover program on eating disordered attitudes and behaviors.” Eat Behav. 8.3 (2007): 390-7. “Television Statistics”. Television and Health. TV Free America, Washington DC. [Electronic Copy]. Retrieved on September 24, 2007. http://www.csun.edu/science/health/docs/tv&health.html#tv_stats. Zurbriggen, EL and Morgan, EM. Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire? Reality Dating Television Programs, Attitudes toward Sex and Sexual Behaviors. A Journal of Research. 54 (2006). n.p. Read More