Popularity of Reality Shows - Essay Example

Reality TV shows It is true that Reality TV shows are becoming popular in our screens in the present times. This is dueto various reasons and most importantly, it depends of the laws and regulations in the regions where the degree is commonly aired (Anderson, 2005). The rules for this particular type of popularly broadcasted material are not tight and that could be one of the main reasons it is now controlling the screens around the world. This factor has made it possible for production of hundreds of Reality TV programs. This is a type of program where not so much is needed from the performers like the way an actor has to memorize and maybe change his/her looks and so on. In the reality shows, so much about it is real and anyone who is watching it is able to see the real life of the person and not a real person portraying an imaginary person. The Shows are usually much cheaper for the whole crew and performers because most of the equipment used including dressing does not have to be produced by the owners of the shows (Faller, 2009). This is because mostly the housemates may use some of their own clothing and make ups, which is an advantage as it reduces the expenses. It is not so easy for many people to understand Reality shows and its names mean it is real yet there are few parts of the shows, which may portray a sense of fiction. A show such as the Geordie Shore portrays real people in real life using their real names, unlike for instance, a show such as Big Brother where the setting could be called fiction because in real life, these group of people does not normally spend their times together, and whatever happens during their times together may not have happened if it was not for the purpose of the show being aired for people to view and get entertained. However, I would not hesitate to comment on how much this show is extremely entertaining. So much of the activities in the show are attention catchers hence, this reason could score the show more marks if it was to be compared with other shows. The reality about a show such as Geordie shore is the fact that the people in it are using the real identity and leading a normal kind of life in their homes and wherever else they go, the feelings which develop between them in the process could be viewed as real among other things going on in the show. Expenses are also reduced due to the fact that the performers of the shows do not need to go and work in front of the cameras away from their home towns neither are they needed to go to holy wood for instance but all they have to do is go on with their daily routines and have the cameras trailing them. Although such shows are known as Reality shows, they cannot be a hundred percent real because not everything about them could be real. Not many people would agree or understand this argument, because everybody who watches knows that the people portrayed in the show are real and whatever is seen being done by them looks just natural as it is the usual life activities. That is why it can be explained that the TV Reality shows are made to imitate real life by use of real people in real circumstances. Other reasons can be concluded which make the Geordie show unreal when you look at how sounds are to explain everything that goes on step by step, in order to help the viewer trail the show keenly. This show may also not show so much realness in it because of the state of airing where housemates are interviewed by a host in front of the camera, even though the topics being covered in the interviews portrays the real lives of the roommates. I only compared this show to the Big Brother aired months ago in South Africa only because of the situation where the cast is made of roommates. However, I would closely compare the show to the Oprah Winfrey and maybe Tyra Banks Shows because of the way they are aired. These particular shows are aired in places where audience are present and are allowed to participate in the discussion of issues involving the lives of the housemates. The show presents a couple for instance, and the host who interviews them together with the audience throughout the process. In the show, audience is given the enough chance to ask questions and get answers from the couples. During the whole interview, the discussion is all about the room mates’ lives. The audience together with the viewers ends up with so much information about the lives of the housemates at the end of the show. The difference between the Geordie shore and the Oprah and Tyra is that Geordie is a show that focuses on adults especially couples and they love life. The topic covers all about the love life and lives of the couples who spend time together in the house. The other two shows discuss mixed topics and they are general topics that can be watched by children and teenagers. The shows are also not performed only in the presence of audience but some scenes take place outside and away from the audience. The discussions with the host and the audience are usually talks regarding previous scenes where audience was not present. The discussions are brought up mostly after the clips of the scenes are viewed by the audience. The show has a few minutes to be aired hence it is not possible for the viewers to cover everything that happened in other scenes from the house and on TV (Kurtz, 2007). Short airing time is another factor that gives viewers anxiety and by the time the next episode is being aired, the viewers are usually anxious to see what happens next, and they enjoy and get entertained. We can also say that the shows may not be a hundred percent real because although the cast portrays the real people in their real lives, they are people who are in most cases selected according to how good they can portray those particular roles (Hill, 2005). Not just anybody is picked because a dull and shy person may ruin the show such and all the stars portray. Geordie shore is a kind of show, which requires the cast to be bold, tough and have the capacity to argue about issues. That is where the luck of reality is portrayed because people on the show are not picked randomly but carefully and selectively. It can also be noticed that the audience in the show are a group of a specific kind who uniformly participate and argue strongly with the housemates. In as much as this show is viewed at a Reality show, the crew in it seemed to have been generally selected to fit various parts of the show (Quallette & Muray 2009). Therefore, Geordie shore is a Reality show. Only that it consists of people with certain potentials, strengths and abilities. The reasons for such kinds of selection are that since these programs are meant to entertain and attract a larger audience, it is essential that the show is a good attention catcher in order to pull the crowds. All the participators in the show are vigorous and bold and that is where entertainment is viewed. The strength portrayed by the participants is the centre of entertainment which is the reason everybody wants to be present during its broadcasting. All the participators are good in their parts and their arguments match well with each others. The show is apart from entertaining and interesting, very educative in terms of relationships. So much can be learnt from the show by couples, relatives of couples or even their parents. Since the show portrays what happens in real life, it makes if possible for those people undergoing similar situations to get answers to their silent questions. The show is very educative generally and at the same time very entertaining, especially with the fact that a bigger number of viewers may have never though of it had some non-reality factors. Most people view as a truly reality show is a big percentage of its presentation portrays and to most of the viewers the question of it reality and unreality may not matter. The show is also a promotion of the lifestyle in our society in the present times and everything about it is what takes place in everyday life. It is meaningful to our governments as it reflects the society and is also important in giving lessons to the majority of people. Some of the suggestions and discussions, which are done through so many arguments, also help in promoting discipline. Therefore, such shows are very important as they also have so much to offer to the government in terms of teaching and contributing in the economy (McNab, 2010). The program, which portrays everything that goes on most couple’s lifestyle and lives is also helpful in dealing with people in same situations and do not have the solutions to their problems. The contribution of the audience and advices are very important to the people outside the show. The shows are known to be good forms of teachings and have changed many lives in solving problems of different people. Reference List Anderson M, D, 2006, The Show Starter Reality TV Made Simple System: Ten Steps to Creating and Pitching a Sellable Reality Show, New York, NY: Movie in a Box Books Faller, S, 2009, Reality TV: Theology in the Video Era, New York, NY: Chalice Press Hill A, 2005, Reality TV: Audiences And Popular Factual Television, New York, NY: Routledge Kurtz, H, 2007, Reality show: inside the last great television news war, New York, NY: Free Press, McNab A, 2011, Crisis Four. New York, NY: Doubleday Canada. Millner D, and Harvey Steve 2010, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man LP: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment, New York, NY: HarperCollins Quallette L, and Murray S, 2009, Reality TV: Remaking Television Culture, New York, NY: NYU Press Read More