How does a television craze become a cultural phenomenon? It seems to move in stages. First, it becomes wildly popular, provoking an unusual amount of thought and conversation. Then the copycats emerge, each trying to get their piece of the action. Finally, everybody's doing it in some form or fashion and it becomes somewhat inescapable. Such is the phenomenon that currently inundates American television programming, that of reality television. \n"I think it was general boredom...it grew out of sitcoms and dramas for years sinking into a formula," says Tracy Green, director of development for LMNO Productions, a company that develops reality programming. "The public has been growing increasingly bored of scripted sitcoms and spin offs. The lack of formula (of reality programming) made you not be able to turn away from TV."
A captive (and lucrative) audience\nThe current influx of reality programming seems to provide a new kind of show for every day of the week -- something for everyone. Green says shows are designed to appeal to the hopeless romantics, while at the same time attracting the bitter and vindictive. Generally, reality programming is geared toward a younger audience. A hit reality show with a young audience can easily become a huge commodity for a television network. \n"That age group, especially the 18-34's, are still in the process of making their brand decisions," says Steve Smith, associate instructor for the School of Journalism. \nBecause of this, advertisers will pay big bucks for exposure to such a lucrative audience. And reality programming is not only cheap and easy to produce, it also generates a huge profit, provided the show gets good ratings. Ratings battles between broadcast networks and daunting competition from the cable channels remains a serious threat in the television industry. Everyone is competing for the same audience. \n"Your TV vote has a bigger influence than (political) voting. If you don't watch, we have to make something else," Green says. "Be aware of your power, especially in your age group."
The 'real' attraction\nBut how much reality TV will Americans consume? Judging by the ratings numbers from shows like "American Idol" and "Joe Millionaire," America still hasn't gotten its fill. The audience tallies from these two shows alone helped to propel Fox network into the No. 1 position for the February sweeps. The finale of "Joe Millionaire" saw a record 40 million viewers tune in, and with huge audience numbers comes huge advertising revenues. So these days all the major players are succumbing to the reality TV bug and scrambling for the next big hit.\nOne major attribute to reality TV's success is that the audience feels involved, says Herb Terry, a telecommunications professor. With most reality programming, audience involvement is key. Whether it's being in on the twist of "Joe Millionaire," living vicariously through the participants on "Survivor" or simply voting for a favorite "American Idol," viewer participation is important to sustaining an audience. \n"Americans are voyeurs and they like contests," Terry says. "They're engaging. Some would argue they're sort of pandering to people's voyeuristic tendencies. In one way (the shows) are unpredictable and in another way quite predictable. They sort of fit in with many aspects of American popular culture."\nJill Hudson, senior publicist for Fox Broadcasting Company, is a press liason for the shows "Temptation Island" and "Married by America." She says part of her job consists of knowing what people are watching and why they watch it. \n"I think it's a combination of romance and conflict," Hudson says. "You can live vicariously through others, and identify with people, those you love to love and love to hate. I think everybody likes to root for someone and have a favorite."\nSmith says because reality TV allows viewers to get away from their own lives, people are attracted to it as entertainment. \n"I don't think it has a lot of intelligence...it's probably just pure escapism, and there is a value to that," Smith says. "It doesn't make you think, there's nothing compelling about it, really. But these days, a little bit of escapism is not a bad thing."
A historical perspective\nThough reality TV is constantly billed as the newest and greatest thing in television, the idea behind much of the programming is actually quite antiquated. Many of the concepts have been around since the advent of television itself, with the first recognizable reality TV show, "The American Family," airing on PBS in 1973. Beyond that, many of the existing formats stem from popular European shows. "Big Brother" and "American Idol" were both lifted from overseas and were extensively "Americanized" before debuting on American television. \nGreen explains that American companies will buy the rights to a European show and figure out how to "Americanize" it. \n"Americans are leaders in TV," Green says. "We have to be bigger and better."\nAmericanizing a show includes injecting a hefty dose of conflict, attractive contestants, beautiful locations and high stakes drama. Green says that this reflects both positive and negative attributes of American culture. \n"In some ways, it reflects the best originality, ingenuity, the best in all of us" Green says. "Negatively, it is too concerned people being put down, berated and rejected." \nDespite it's popularity, reality TV has caused serious social debate. One issue of concern for Terry is that the quality of the programming is significantly lower than that of more traditionally scripted programming. \n"It isn't television's finest moment," Terry says. "Television had it's time when it was high culture, but by the '70s or '80s it was mass culture."
Finding the best 'real' people\nSince reality TV is based on the lives of real people, casting becomes a very important detail in the production of such programs. While it may appear to be standard procedure, auditioning for reality shows is actually a rigorous and difficult screening process.\nGreen says that potential cast members have to go through "extreme psychological testing" to make sure those selected are really what they seem. \nAlso, criminal background checks are standard and participants can't test positive for any sexually transmitted diseases. \n"If you're going on a dating show, it's a great situation," Green says. "No hint of abuse, no felony charges and no sexually transmitted diseases, as a show or a network can't be held responsible." \nGreen says she thinks that 98 percent of the people who try out do it for fame, but complete exposure to millions of television viewers is often not all it's cracked up to be. \n"Eighty-five percent regret it later, the worst flaws are much more interesting," Green says. "People watch you and want to feel superior."\nAdditionally, Green says the chosen casts for many reality shows are seriously lacking in diversity. She says this both surprises and confuses her as a producer. \n"I am baffled by the lack of diversity because I don't understand it all," Green says. "I am confused by why these shows are so white, and why it continues. It's definitely an area that needs improvement."
The future of reality TV\nReality TV doesn't seem to be slowing down. Each new season brings some new twist or concept that grabs America's attention. So what's next?\n"They're going to go as far as people will continue to watch," Smith says.\nHudson says the networks will always be pushing the envelope with respect to new programming, but adds that every network will try to adhere to broadcast standards.\n"In reality TV you push the envelope and anytime you do that you catch criticism," Hudson says. "Reality TV is much more accepted now. It's not as taboo as it once was considered."\nGreen says when conceptualizing new reality series, her company tries to "stay ahead of the curve, stay out of the dark end of the pool and stay ahead of the trend." \nOne tactic that will likely be implemented in any new reality series is interactivity. Audiences place huge value in being involved, but some argue interactivity on television is not always as innocent as it appears. \n"The goal of the commercial electronic media is still by and large to manipulate and direct audience appeal," Terry says. "I think sometimes there may be illusions of involvement or interactivity, but when we get right down to it are more examples or just new ways in which media can manipulate people."\nRegardless, for as long as Americans continue to watch reality TV, it will remain a force for networks.\n"Will the genre go away? I don't think so," Terry says. "There may be more of them now than the market can really sustain, but they'll find a place, and you'll continue to find that being a component of network television. I think it will be around because it attracts a saleable audience." \nGreen says America's obsession with reality television will fade and eventually become a piece of the TV puzzle. \n"Unfortunately in this country we go past saturation on everything," Green says. "We like to drive things into the ground, to kill a trend"
