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Memorandum

To:
From:
Date:
Subject:

Television Viewers
Justin Dizon
December 12, 2012
The Effects of Reality Television on Society

Enclosed is the report The Effects of Reality Television on Society. This report
analyzes the different effects reality television has on society, both positive and
negative.

The information gathered derives from a survey questionnaire given to common
everyday television viewers of various age groups, race, profession, and of both
genders. It will give a better understanding of how the opinions of reality TV by
typical television watchers are influenced by what they see on the screen. Any
trends or patterns are also indicated.

It is my aspiration that the following information provided to all television viewers
alike would be both informative and enlightening.

THE EFFECTS OF REALITY TELEVISION ON SOCIETY


Prepared by Justin Dizon
Student at Kean University



Report Distributed December 12, 2012



Prepared for
Professor Amy Dixon
English 3090
Kean University

Abstract
Reality television has been a growing fad this past decade and continues to
grow each day. Singing competitions, endurance challenges, grueling obstacle
courses- these are a few examples of themes reality TV shows might have, all of
which ultimately lead to a cash prize or big award. Television ratings show that
reality television continues to lead the pack among all shows clearly showing the
enjoyment American viewers have on reality TV. But as many might not know,
reality TV influences society and how we view each other. Stereotypes, clichs, and
prejudice are often depicted on these reality shows, which can ultimately brainwash
its viewers. With this topic, I have the opportunity to analyze the different ways;
both positive and negative, reality TV has influenced society as well as possible
changes it can take for the future. This topic interests me because I am a keen
viewer of many reality television shows and I can compare and contrast the
different aspects of various shows impact on society.

Table Of Contents
Abstract.. 3
List of Figures. 5
I. Introduction... 6
A. Reality Television History (Background)... 6
B. Different Reality Television Shows. 7
C. Problem 9
D. Proposed Solution 10
E. Questions Researched11
F. Limitations of Research.12
II. Methodology and Research13
A. Primary Research Questionnaire13
B. Secondary Research Outside Data Collection..14
III. Results and Discussion... 15

A. Results of Questionnaire. 15

B. Results of Secondary Research 19

IV. Conclusion and Recommendations..20

A. Review and Recap 20

B. Solution and Recommendations. 21

C. Next Steps..22

References23

List of Figures
Figure 1: Info graphic on Reality TV By The Numbers .. 8
Figure 2: Survey Results- Description of Cast (The Jersey Shore) .. 18
Figure 3: Survey Results- Description of Cast (The Real Housewives). 18
Figure 4: Survey Results- Description of Cast (Teen Mom)..18

I. Introduction
A. Reality Television History (Background)

Reality is defined by the dictionary as the world or the state of things as

they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them. The world
we are living in would be described as our own reality but thanks to television, we
now have the opportunity to view the reality of others. Reality TV is essentially
television program[s] in which there are no writers, actors, or scripts. Instead, the
shows focus on real events or situations (Perritano, 2011). This past decade
reality television has grown to cement itself into our everyday culture. Watching
the lives of others unfold right before our eyes is something we take pleasure in
whether it may be promoting the successes or failures of people.

Television based on reality has been in existence for more than 70 years but

the first reality television show to air was An American Family on PBS in 1973
(Perritano, 2011). This innovative show, which focused on a family dealing with
marital issues, gay lifestyle, and changing values, ultimately served as a stepping-
stone for reality television today (PBS, 2011).

B. Different Reality Television Shows

Singing competitions, endurance challenges, documentary, and dating-based

are all different genres among the reality television realm. And in the company of
each of these different reality shows are a diverse group of individuals that make up
the personalities of the show. Shows like American Idol, where being an overnight
pop star is honored; and The Jersey Shore, where over-the-top partying is ridiculed,
are both shows praised by the viewing public. During Summer 2010 alone, 15 of
the top 20 highest-rated programs were reality or unscripted shows (Carter, 2010).
This evidently illustrates that most viewers embrace all reality television shows
whether it depicts the successes or failures of others.

Reality television can serve as different purposes such as incentive, advice,

insight, or pure entertainment for a quick escape from life. Hence reality television
being real, it is easier for us to relate to the individuals involved in these shows
through similar issues, environment, job, or families. But the TV personalities
depicted on these reality shows may be exaggerated or even understated and turn
out to really not be who you have been watching all along.

Figure 1: Info graphic on Reality TV By The Numbers

(Citation for Figure 1 is located on the bottom of visual)

C. Problem

For many, reality television is the lowest form of entertainment, an insult to

our collective intelligence. In their view, reality TV lauds crass behavior and creates
a voyeuristic peep show. It glorifies abuse, elevates shallow personalities and
promotes dysfunctional relationships (Perritano, 2011). It is sad to say, but
watching other people make fools out of themselves or get humiliated is not only
what is found to be entertaining but it is also profitable. The rise of reality television
is mostly responsible financially because of inexpensive production and higher
revenues. That being said, the powers that be (producers and directors) behind the
scenes of the reality shows will go to extreme measures as far as fabricating
personalities on the show and making them more into characters in order to keep
high viewership.

Nearly all reality shows arent real. Conceits, editing, casting, storytelling,

shooting. Theyre not intended to shed beacons of light and truth (Guttentag,
2008). When cast personalities are fabricated, general ideas are made; and when
general ideas are made, stereotypes are formed. These stereotypes can lead us to
judge the real individuals of our lives based on what we see on television. And
ultimately, can effect how we live our lives in society.

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D. Proposed Solution

The obvious solution to eliminate all reality television would be impossible

and completely preposterous. Therefore, there can be other solutions to the

following problem. To avoid stereotypes from surfacing due to character
generalization, more diversity can be incorporated into reality television shows.
Moreover, watching reality television can be used positively instead of just for
entertainment purposes. Depending on the type of show, valuable knowledge can
actually be obtained. But the most prominent and effective solution would be a
greater sense of viewer responsibility.

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E. Questions Researched

This report will analyze a series of questions to help aid in determining the

types of reality television shows common viewers enjoy watching and why, as well
as opinions and noticeable trends. Questions include common demographics such
as: What is your gender? What is your age? What is your ethnicity/race? What is
your sexual orientation? In addition, questions involving television viewership
included: On average, how many hours of television do you watch a week? Among
all the television shows you watch, how many are reality shows? Which of the
following types of reality television shows have you watched? How often have you
watched each reality television show listed below? Using three words or less
(adjectives), how would you describe the casts for the following reality television
shows?

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F. Limitations of Research

There were a large number of limitations when it came to both my primary

and secondary research. Because of time limit, access, and location, I was not able to
retrieve a broader amount of replies for my primary research questionnaire. I was
limited to twenty-five participants of my survey, which consisted of mostly friends
and schoolmates relatively the same age. Allotted more time, I would have liked to
survey a more diverse group of individuals including a larger number of older
individuals. In addition, a few more questions added to my survey to further my
research would have been desired.

As for my secondary research, I had difficulty finding the most acceptable

sources for my topic. My topic was broad which make it difficult to narrow down to
one main idea while finding the perfect sources to support my investigation.
Moreover, a secondary source I was restricted on using were the Nielsen Ratings. If
given the access to this formidable data, it would help by pointing out specific trends
and patterns in correlation with my survey results.

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II. Methodology and Resources

A. Primary Research - Questionnaire

To gather primary information, a survey was administered to those

individuals available and most convenient at the time. On that account, twenty-five
questionnaires were distributed during the month of November 2012. The
participants were selected merely based on locality and time. These individuals
ranged from a wide base including close friends, relatives, schoolmates, and co-
workers. All participants were first asked the question, Do you watch television?
before beginning the survey. All answers in return were yes which strengthened
my target audience of television viewers in my research.

Once the questionnaire was given to the individual, I gave an allotted five to

ten minutes to completely answer all questions fully and truthfully. The survey
began with common demographics questions including gender, age, race, and sexual
orientation. Next, questions were asked regarding their viewership on reality
television such as how many hours do you spend watching television and how many
reality television shows do you watch? The survey ended with a final opinion
question asking to describe the casts of several reality television shows using only
three (adjective) words or less.

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B. Secondary Research Outside Data Collection

All information was obtained through personal experience and multiple

sources. These sources ranged from newspaper articles, video presentations, and
online blogs. All sources were designated by highly experienced professionals who
have the proper knowledge to speak about their given matter. The collected data
from the secondary research was used to support certain arguments in my research.
The data helped strengthen the credibility of particular issues, both positive and
negative, to further progress the research of this report.

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III.

Results and Discussion

A. Survey Results - Questionnaire

The results of the survey provided enlightening statistics and data that

showcased multiple trends in the viewership of reality television. One important

trend observed from the data was the larger number of females over males who not
only watched more television a week but also higher number of reality television
shows. That being said, a probable conclusion that can be made is females are
more affected by television than males. Female viewers tend to be more
emotionally invested to particular shows and are more greatly influenced to what
they watch. In relation, when it comes to age, the younger demographic (16-25)
spends more time watching television and reality shows when compared to older
viewers. Reality television under the category of competition and documentary in
likes of American Idol, The Jersey Shore, and The Real World displayed being
watched most by this demographic.

In addition, a somewhat obvious trend pointed out was competition based

shows being the most popular among all questionnaires. Shows like American Idol
and Survivor were commonly answered as Watch Religiously, while related shows
like Dancing With The Stars and The Voice were filled in under Other and marked
with the same answer. This statistic may be obvious as these types of competition
based reality shows are often the ones who score big with ratings and viewership
throughout the television season.

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Another trend this research provided was the correlation between gender

and types of reality television shows watched. It was proved that dating-based and
self-improvement shows were more favored towards females, competition shows
more towards male, and documentary-style a split between both. The overall
results drawn from these trends and patterns is that viewers that relate most to the
characters of a specific show are influenced most by that show. For example, a
show like The Jersey Shore that depicts the outgoing fun lives of twenty-somethings
is watched most by that very demographic (16-25). Viewers find most entertaining
the reality shows where they find themselves most in. They enjoy watching the
depiction of these lives whether it is a positive or a negative representation of a
similar lifestyle the TV viewer may have.

Probably the most pivotal part of the questionnaire was the data collected

from the final question asking to describe the casts in specific reality television
shows using only three words (adjectives) or less. The results gathered were
astounding. It was amazing to see how many individuals agreed with the same or
similar words when describing the casts. A show like The Jersey Shore had the cast
described as: uneducated, alcoholics, dramatic, obnoxious, and superficial. With
these labels describing The Jersey Shore cast who are dominantly Italian and from
the New Jersey area, it can lead to the generalization of these groups ultimately
leading to stereotypes. Moreover, a show like Teen Mom was described as
irresponsible, troubled, and immature. These terms can lead viewers to judge all
teenage girls as this from the influence of merely watching the show. All in all, the

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way viewers see the characters of a reality television show are the true depictions of
how they are on the show.

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Figure 2: Survey Results- Description of Cast (The Jersey Shore)

Figure 3: Survey Results- Description of Cast (The Real Housewives)

Figure 4: Survey Results- Description of Cast (Teen Mom)

(Figures 2, 3, 4 were generated using Microsoft Power Point)

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B. Results of Secondary Research

Through secondary research, I was able to make much more conclusions

when it came to the issue at hand. Reality has largely gotten a pass because it
ostensibly reflects reality overlooking how participants are depicted as
characters in much the way fictional personalities are (Lowry, 2010). With that
being said, it provides an entirely new perspective on reality television and how the
ways it influences society are less superficial than it seems. Watching various
genres of reality television myself, it is hard to ignore the types of roles several
shows may have in a common. The outspoken teenager, the quiet and shy, the
insecure gay, or the sexually active are all typical roles that can be commonly seen
on reality television. A less-settling prospect is that less-educated audiences are
also tuning in, and perhaps drawing unflattering conclusions based on narrow
stereotypes (Lowry, 2010). Many reality television shows today are beginning to
be perceived as false due to the power and control that television has today.
Producers of reality television will create a character for her[self] (or himself) to
play to merely increase ratings. She (or he) would be that archetype role no matter
who she (or he) truly was (Guttentag, 2008). These predetermined roles are used
to fulfill any gaps the show may have whether it is a gender or racial related role. All
these falsifications made are merely for the fulfillment of viewers.

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IV.

Conclusion and Recommendation

A. Review and Recap

Reality TV is influencing our lives whether we watch or not (Perritano,

2011). Reality television has been affecting our lives since its first emergence and
will continue to do so today and in the future. Reality television has become a part
of our lifestyle and has slithered into our culture (Perritano, 2011). Although
reality television may promote the worst values and qualities in people and glorify
the failures, some may convey a positive message and actually be used for self-
improvement. Reality television is actually just giving the viewers what they want,
(Taylor, 2011) having their wishes fulfilled on the television (Guttentag, 2008).
Reality television having such characters who find true love, become a notable star,
or an instant millionaire gives viewers the opportunity to live their dreams
vicariously from the other side of the box.

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B. Solution and Recommendations

One solution I recommend which I originally proposed earlier would be to

further diversify the cast involved in reality television. To avoid any stereotypes or
obvious predetermined roles, unique and unexpected individuals should be casted.
With more diverse personalities on reality television, it will potentially eliminate
any more stereotypes and create a new dynamic for the show. Moreover, mixing
people of different genders, races, sexual orientation and cultures will create a more
positive relation between the show and its viewers.

Another logical solution would simply be viewer responsibility on what kinds

of reality television they choose to watch. You can continue to watch shows merely
for the mishaps and tribulations of life or be informed by the positive messages
reality TV may have. A show like The Biggest Loser may display obesity but it
convey(s) important information about diet, weight loss, health and fitness
(Perritano, 2011). Moreover, shows like Hoarders or True Life can serve as
informative to individuals with similar behavior or as public awareness to the
population.

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C. Next Steps

Just imagine, What if reality TV was actual reality? Keep in mind as

viewers, that what you are watching is not always real life. Do not always allow
yourself to fully invest in the characters and stories depicted on these shows as they
can all just be a fabrication. Have control on what you watch and do not let it greatly
affect your judgments about other individuals. Remember, reality television is not
going anywhere and it is here to stay for a very long, long time. It will continue to
affect not only society but also every individual internally and emotionally who
watches. So make a difference while you have the chance and try not to get
brainwashed!

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References
Carter, Bill. "Tired of Reality TV, but Still Tuning In." The New York Times.
September 13, 2010. (December 2012).
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/13/business/media/13reality.html
Guttentag, Bill. "Why are Reality TV Shows So Popular?" March 19, 2008. Online
video clip. You Tube. Accessed on November 2012.
Perritano, John. "What is reality TV's influence on culture?" How Stuff Works. April
2011. (October, 2012). http://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-
traditions/tv-and-culture/reality-tvs-influence-on-culture.htm
PBS. "An American Family." (December, 2012). http://www.pbs.org/lanceloud/
american/
Taylor, Jim. "Reality TV is NOT Reality." Hartford Courant. Jan. 31, 2011. (November,
2012).http://blog.ctnews.com/taylor/2011/01/31/reality-tv-is-not-reality/