America’s Next Top Model is a reality show where the female top models compete for the chance to begin successful career in the modeling business. The show provides reports on the models’ training and leisure, as well as bright spectacular performances. The audience of America’s Next Top Model includes people of all ages and professions, and their evaluation of the show is rather diverse.
Therefore, for studying the show’s interpretive communities I have chosen a specific perspective which corresponds to its essence: America’s Next Top Model is an entertaining show which does not imply any educational sense, and that is why it is rather interesting to analyze the audience’s “stratification” in terms of their attitude to the show and the reasons for watching. For defining the show’s interpretive communities I have chosen a resource where the viewers express their different attitudes to the show in their reviews (Internet Movie Database) and used the forums devoted to the show in order to approve my findings (Fans of Reality TV; TV.Com).
The analysis of the viewers’ reviews has shown that the audience can be divided into three groups with the following conventional names: “desperate fans”, “guilty admires” and “critics”. These three groups have shown different reasons for watching the show and different estimation of the show’s significance and outcome.
The so-called “desperate fans” admire the show entirely and show rather serious attitude to it. They are not confused when admitting they are the show’s fans and express their attitude rather emotionally. These viewers watch carefully the development of the show’s plot and the participants’ contribution; in their reviews, they often use the models’ names and remind of certain events. Correspondingly, these are the viewers who participate actively at the forums, creating 280-page discussion of the “America’s Next Top Model useless facts” (Fans of Reality TV) or voting for “the ANTM’s most beautiful model ever” (TV.Com).
The next “stratum” can be called the “guilty admirers”. These people are more mature than the “desperate fans” and are often employed. In their comments, they express certain doubts about the show’s intellectual component and educational sense; however, they enjoy watching the America’s Next Top Model and perceive it as a good way for relaxing and spending their free time. The good example of this community’s position is the quote from a young man writing at (Internet Movie Database): “Yes, I watch this show. Because my girlfriend watches it, of course. Well, at least, that’s what I tell my friends. But as nobody here ever known me, I can say this; I love it!”
The comments of the third group, “critics”, oppose to those described above: in their reviews, they criticize the show, providing different reasons. On the one hand, they describe the show as useless and wasting the viewers’ time, or highlighting physical beauty instead of moral features; besides, they often focus on the show’s essence and argue its outcome for the models themselves. The last point of view is mostly expressed by those who are aware of the fashion tendencies or have experience in the modeling business: instead of providing the real chance for the girls participating in the show, America’s Next Top Model is considered to inspire them with the false hope, while the majority of them will never become the famous top models.
Thus, America’s Next Top Model has divided its audience into three groups with opposite opinion and the show’s perception. However, this review is a perfect illustration of the reality shows’ role in the modern media space: whether you like them or not, you still watch them, become aware of their events and spend time discussing them in the Internet.
Bibliography
America’s Next Top Model. Fans of Reality TV. Web.
America’s Next Top Model. Internet Movie Database. Web.
America’s Next Top Model. TV. Web.