Choice 2- Audience

Choice 2

The Reality of Reality TV
1. I thought that this topic definitely made me analyze the whole concept of reality television. It is ironic how reality television is not really reality at all, but a staged view of what the producers want us to believe. I thought that analyzing the audience of a reality TV show was a very interesting way to analyze the human mind. It was very easy to relate my personal life to the topic of reality television because I would consider myself a very devoted viewer.
2. Reality TV reaches out to “average” Americans in order to give them a vision that average people can live extravagantly and experience a fantasy reality. Most reality television shows have contestants that are considered “normal” Americans. For example, American Idol opens its auditions to any American who is willing to try out, so it makes the viewers feel as if they too could be the ones up on the big screen. Also, shows like The Hills take an average girl and put her into her dream world where she is the center of the attention in a high-class lifestyle. Teenage girls are then able to picture themselves in her shoes by comparing their average lives to someone of such high class. When these “real-life characters” embarrass themselves on television it makes the viewer feel more confident about his or her own flaws. Even in the dream life people can make mistakes, which makes these characters seem even more normal. Reality television creates an impression that the average person is able to live their “dream life”. While watching a reality TV show, viewers are able to step out of their monotonous lifestyles and find hope that eventually they too could be living in the fame. The viewers relate with the people on reality television shows as they feel anxiety through the changes in moods during the show. This genre attempts to convince the audience that they are very similar to the characters in this skewed “reality” of reality television.