Introduction
Television networks strive to produce unique programming each year. New-fangled programs guarantee more anticipation, comedy as well as amusement whereas they push the envelope of communally and ethically suitable, exciting, humorous, and enjoyable programs away.
A reality founded television, with regard to the current towering ratings, fits all these criteria. Reality Television is a programming genre that revolves around the daily practices of “real life” citizens.
This is, in contrast to the fictional characters, assumed by actors. In reality, TV shows that an individual is followed personally by the cameras.
On the other hand, it is possible to say that viewers do not really participate in the whole production process but only become involved in the fascinating day-to-day drama and plotlines as depicted on their screens (Frisby 35). It appears that individuals simply have fun and contentment in studying other individual’s lives.
There exist three very important classes within the reality field. These include: dating shows such as “The Bachelor”, game shows like “Survivor” as well as talent shows such as the “American Idol”.
Despite the fact that reality programming intensely runs during the normal season, there is a greater superfluity in the summer because such programs are economical to create and, in case they fail to portray ratings, they can easily be done away with. Furthermore, they can quickly be replaced with programmes that show progress and high ratings.
It is becoming more and more complicated to keep away from reality TV today. In restaurants, offices, health clubs and bars, the citizens are engrossed in discussions with regard to whatever they viewed on television the previous night.
Interestingly, such talk does not touch on world news but rather personalities. For instance, the topic may be based on what occurred on “The Apprentice.” Consequently, the talk may be a “did-you-see” discussion with regard to “The Bachelor” or any other Reality TV show such as “Cheaters” (Frisby 135).
Programs like such as “Fear Factor”, “The Apprentice,” “American Girl”, “Survivor,”, “American Idol”, “Temptation Island,” “Big Brother,” “Cheaters,” “Extreme Makeover” “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” “The Bachelorette” as well as “The Bachelor,” have become so popular and taken hold of the current television viewer.
During the 2003-2004 interval, ten reality shows were categorized among the twenty five influential prime-time series. These were in the audience-masterpiece directory for adults aged between eighteen and forty nine.
The income realized from these shows was approximately seventy five thousand dollars. It is further approximated that over seventy million viewers are captivated by television programs that places an individual in a position that enables him or her to contend in the current dispute while at the same time, being screened.
What is in these shows that keep millions of viewers daily? This question has triggered a lot of answers yet there is no satisfying reason as to why such programs attract such attention.
From “Survivor” to “Average Joe,” it looks like reality television thrives since it is concerned with real-life situations such as contending for a job or award, love, or achieving ones vision of becoming rich.
Most individuals can relate to these issues. Nonetheless, as these programs grow to be more invasive, their clutch on “reality” seems to become tenuous.
It is refreshing and encouraging to see that new faces get some spotlight, rather than the usual stars, mostly from the movie industry. The very aspect of being human that gives confidence to individuals to rumor about their family, friends, and even a foreigner is what constitutes and promotes an audience for such reality television shows. It is more of a car crash on one side of the freeway.
The glimpses into the lives other individuals are regularly shucking, yet impractical to ignore. Based on this theory, television show, “The Real World,” was discovered.
It is frequently known as “the forerunner of reality television shows.” In this show, seven foreigners are chosen to live jointly (Frisby 232). The viewers are presented with the opportunity to watch and discover what happens when strangers with varying backgrounds are made to live together.
Analysis
Researchers regularly acknowledge, as a minimum, six gratifications of media exploits. These include: information which is also referred to as “knowledge” or surveillance, entertainment, escape, relaxation, passing time, and social viewing or status enhancement.
Even though the brands for these indulgences may be changed, diverse studies substantiate that they are sustainable and targets all circumstances. Based on this, the main question would be on the type of indulgence that viewers obtain from such reality television shows.
The social comparison theory might play a crucial role in explaining and uncovering a very essential motive which a lot of individuals might not be able or are not willing to articulate openly.
Researchers have referred to communal evaluation as “the procedure of contemplating about information with regard to one or more individuals in relation to personality.”
Communal evaluation theory puts forward that people have a need or drive to evaluate their opinions and abilities. In the year nineteen fifty four, Festinger, the individual who came up with the theory and established research in this field, proposed that individuals who were uncertain about their opinions and abilities would evaluate themselves through associations linked to their equals. In fact, people evaluate themselves for a range of reasons.
This may include: to establish a virtual standing on a particular matter or related aptitude; verify norms; emulate behaviors; raise spirits or feel better about life (Frisby 262). In addition, they may want to establish their personal situations as well as evaluate personality, emotions, and self-worth.
Those individuals who were better than others were known as “Upward comparisons”. These individuals who engaged in “upward comparison” would discover from others, be motivated by their illustrations, and become extremely aggravated to attain analogous goals.
Research states that “Upward comparisons” are solicited when an individual is provoked to modify or prevail over difficulties and obstacles (Frisby 262).
Self-development is the key result of a growing evaluation since the targets act as role models. It also motivates and teaches individuals to accomplish or conquer related problems.
On the other hand, a communal evaluation that encompasses a target who is regarded to be substandard, inept, or less providential is referred to as a descending evaluation.
Its fundamental principle is that individuals feel healthier about their own condition and develop their prejudiced well-being when they do comparisons.
Hypothetically, downward comparisons assist individuals to cope with individual predicaments by allowing them to view themselves and their troubles in a more constructive way by acknowledging that there are others with more complex matters.
Reality televisions enable the audience to live vicariously, giggle, and weep via the daily, average individuals who have the chance to experience things, which until the minute they are shown, a lot of individuals only dream of.
Viewers mostly tune into these programs since they posses elements that the audience would admire to experience on their own. In addition, it enables them to express amusement at other’s mistakes or commemorate successes. This makes them feel healthier about themselves since they are not as “bad as the individuals on television.”
Introduction to heartbreaking events or terrible news calls for social comparison among the viewers. It is supposed that reality viewers may be encouraged to evaluate and differentiate their own state of affairs with those stars of the reality shows.
This comparison procedure could ultimately create a sense of self-satisfaction. To better comprehend the reactions made when an individual is exposed to media content, an analysis of the opinions made in the course of watching the reality television was carried out. The investigator coded all the opinions that contained terms of social comparisons which members made on their own volition.
Fascinating Viewers
It is an actuality that reality television can enthrall thousand of spectators at any given occasion on a particular day. Research has started to document on how individuals get involved in impulsive and habitual communal evaluations when exposed to particular media pictures, especially those of reality television.
It is also evident that one main impact of being exposed to reality television program is to feel healthier with regard to an individual’s aptitude, life situations as well as gifts.
Reality TV further acts as a much-required diversion from the constant parade of disastrous global events. It enables viewers to have an option of watching others triumph over adversity, escape menace, get a job, learn to endure and even discover feeling of affection.
Whether the plan is adoration, cash, motivated expression, becoming a star, or just an opportunity to be seen on television, the impact on the audiences is similar.
Individuals admire to know that there are other people who are facing similar situations that they may be in. They also do make the same mistakes (Frisby 275). Regardless of the changing desires of the community and the uncertainty of television viewers, the humans’ requirement to evaluate and communicate has guaranteed a market for this venture.
Conclusion
A social evaluation does not call for an individual to provide elaborate, careful, conscious ideas about the assessment, but it means that there ought to be, to some extent, an endeavor to discover or look for resemblance or disparities between the self and other on a few particular aspects.
Quite a number of theorists would argue that for an evaluation to be regarded as a comparison, the individual ought to have knowledge about the assessment and get in touch with with the other person directly.
Nevertheless, social evaluations do not need individual contact or awareness since imaginary characters showed in the media could represent significant standards of evaluation.
Information on social evaluation and media utilization suggests that daily encounters with television programs may provide the viewers with information that persuades them to participate in a customary and impulsive communal evaluation.
This eventually impacts on mood and other features of prejudiced well-being. Individuals may not be in a position to deliberately articulate the evaluation process or willfully register its impact on issues such as self-development and self-improvement.
Works Cited
Frisby, Cynthia. Getting real with Reality TV. New York, NY: Mc-Graw Hill, 2010.