The Reality of Reality Television Essay -- Media Reality Television Pa

The Reality of Reality Television The achiever of the first Survivor opposition is...Rich. It was the name heard round the country the night of August 23, 2000, as 51 million television viewers tuned in to the finale of Survivor. The questions, the predictions, the bets, and the cosmos rested on that one name. For three months, America watched and wondered. Who could it be? Who is the ultimate survivor? With the unveiling of that single, now infamous, name, you could almost feel the country erupt with emotion. The collective gasp of the surprise was shrouded by the cheers and hollers of all the Richard Hatch fans scattered across the countrys living rooms and sports bars. But just how real is this reality tv? The idea of a reality tv show was first presented by MTV in the early 90s. The concept of the show was to place seven strangers in a common house for sixer months, all the while recording their social interactions. The intention was to observe the social dynamic and development of the housemates as they (according to the shows opening slogan) stop acting polite and depart getting real. The Real World debut was a major success for the network, especially in attracting a large teenage audience. Set in rising York City, the show thrived by airing the housemates adventures both in and out of the house. From downtown raves to bedroom battles to intimate encounters, every move the housemates made was seen by the curious eyeball of the American public. The Real World, now in its 10th season, has become a mainstay for the MTV network. Changing cities each season, the show constantly explores the issues and problems that young people buttock in todays society. In this way, the show tends to reach only a sp... ...F? Who Wants to Divorce Their Ungrateful Spouse? Survivor In Space? Well, once again I am shocked by the newspaper headlines. Released to the press (I kid you not) on September 12, 2000 NBC strikes deal for Survivor show in space. How on earth could that possibly draw? How real can that actually be? Im sure they have it all figured out. We instead should ask ourselves, does the degree of reality determine the quality of the merriment? Maybe a better question is, should the degree of reality determine the quality of the entertainment? The decision lies in the viewers hand, which grasps that all-powerful television remote. Many fates be determined by the simple click of a button. As for me, you can bet Ill be the first one watching as that lucky winner is launched into the stratosphere during the most exciting live broadcast in TV history.