It has been about 63 years since the creation of the first reality-based program. The first reality program came from the radio and later developed into a television show known as Candid Camera. However, the comical of this show is no longer able to be found among the cheap, demoralizing junk that makes up the reality TV of the 21 Century. The reality -based showed have navigated from not only becoming form of entertainment, but have also influenced the public in many ways. The reality based shows create psychological contradictions, change the existing social dynamics in society, and can also affect children’s behavior.
This event showed the growing interest of Americans in television broadcasts, but consequently may have triggered some future negative issues for young people. Marika Tiggermann and Amanda S. Pickering, authors of Role of Television in Adolescent Women’s Body Dissatisfaction and Drive for Thinness, suggest that television has become the most prominent and influential form of the mass media, especially for young people (200). As the boom of television has occurred, the media has developed a negative influence on adolescent teens because it manipulates their minds by promoting a perfect body image, displaying unrealistic lifestyles, and presenting dangerous behaviors. Television tends to promote “perfect,” unrealistic, body images. Amy I. Nathanson and Renée A. Botta, authors of Shaping the Effects of Television on Adolescents’ Body Image Disturbance: The Role of Parental Mediation, came up with a simple definition of body image: “Body image is an overall concept consisting of related but distinct dimensions addressing feelings, thoughts, and perceptions about body size and shape” (305).
With all the various T.V stations and programs we have it teaches people about society rules and how to fit in. There are many shows that give advice on dressing, for example the show What Not To Wear, and various dating shows. There are even shows that have videos of people doing outrageous things for pure entertainment and laughing, in which other people mimic because they believe it helps them fit in. An example of how media influences us "Following the 9/11 terrorism, media coverage followed accusations by government authorities that pointed toward al Qaeda as the group that carried out the attack on the United States and Osama bin Laden as leader of that group. Those news reports on the attack and the aftermath shaped public opinion to support the war on terrorism."
Teenagers could even be trying some of the stunts shown on a few of the shows at home resulting in injury. Some of the consequences that adolescents can have from reality television can be severe and could be with them for the rest of their lives. “Parents have long been concerned about the amount of time young people spend watching TV. Some studies suggest that children sometimes imitate violent behaviors they see on TV.” (Curtin, 2011) Although some of the newer reality based shows will attract a large
Or if it is the parent’s responsibility to regulate what teens watch? And how about the rating system, Is it really effective? If limitations are imposed on this industry, would this violate their freedom of speech? When a teens watch a movie like Clock Orange or play a game like Grand Theft Auto does it affect their behavior or will they brush it off as a mere fantasy? Many people outside of the industry believe it affects teen’s sexual activities and violence tendencies.
Those most affected by these trends and ideas, as delivered through mass media, are youth and young adults. The balance of this society can be considered non-mainstream and more traditional and practical in their thinking. Product and concept companies utilize the media in promoting their ideas and trends, and they use famous celebrities, musicians and sports stars to deliver these messages. Pop culture defines a perception on what we should look like, how we should live, thus how we should behave in today’s society. A prime example of falling victim to this influence comes from television production companies and what they air.
Influence of Entertainment Media HUM/186 Influence of Entertainment Media Entertainment media today has a strong grip on American society, which needs some consideration. If society allows today’s entertainment media to influence and control people, Americans today will need help to recover their strong family values and structure before they are lost. Today the American culture is influenced by entertainment media. There are more reality television shows today, viewed by many of society’s young people. A large number of these young people are easily influenced.
Reality television frequently portrays a modified and highly influenced form of reality, at times utilizing sensationalism to attract audience viewers and increase advertising revenue profits. Participants are often placed in exotic locations or abnormal situations, and are often persuaded to act in specific scripted ways by off-screen "story editors" or "segment television producers", with the portrayal of events and speech manipulated and contrived to create an illusion of reality through direction and post-production editing techniques. Reality TV, which is in the business of making us feel good rather than be good, actually contributes to the growing problems in our society by celebrating human weakness rather than human excellence. Reality TV doesn't empower us, but rather overpowers us by taking our innate power and inner knowing and spirituality away from us, leaving us feeling insecure, inadequate, less fulfilled, isolated and confused by virtue of the promotion of anti-social behavior, excessive self-indulgence, self-entitlement, greed, compromised integrity, obsession with winning at all costs, and erosion in morality. Although the critics of reality TV are highly outspoken, there is also the counterargument of the benefits of the genre on its participants and audience.
The text is focusing on whether it’s the television station and the team behind the cameras that have the responsible for actions the participants may do to themselves or others such as a crime, while participating on the show. The show Intervention running on A&E is a great example of how the boundaries have been pushed. The show is about the life of those who suffer from addiction and their family. People on the edge make good television and therefore will the people behind the show push the boundaries as far as possible. Situations in these kinds of shows can get out of hand and the participants can become a danger to themselves or others.
Reality Television: How Have They Changed Television Viewing Habits? Pamela Parker English Composition II Prof: Erica Ellsworth February 4, 2013 Reality Television has affected the moral fiber of our society dramatically. It portrays negative manners toward our younger generation, but ultimately it simulates the entire audience in some perspective. In today’s society Reality programs have become such a fad for American television serving an important part of people everyday life. A brief definition of reality television can be detailed in many ways, but basically its real life situations being displayed on television, which are also considered good money makers for the producers as well as the actors.