Media Study Guide:

Reality TV and Body Image - Grades 6-8

By Amanda Gill and Amanda Iadeluca

ETEC 531 64A

 Teacher’s Guide
This section of the media study guide is designed for teachers. It includes an introduction to the topic,
the learning objectives, focus questions and curriculum connections. Teachers should present this
information to students prior to beginning the student guide.
 Introduction

Topic
Using examples from various reality TV shows such as The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and America’s Next
Top Model, this media study guide will explore concepts of identity, body image and self-perception for
students in grades 6-8.

Learning Objectives
With the help of the content and the activities, students will:
1. Define body image, self-perception and stereotypes and explore how the media impacts these
concepts
2. Demonstrate an understanding of how reality TV shows perpetuate body image stereotypes.
3. Create a media production that communicates their identity and self-perception
4. Demonstrate an understanding of how reality television uses editing to portray certain identities and
stereotypes
Focus Questions

Focus questions

A. How do reality TV series such as America’s Next Top Model and The Bachelor/The
Bachelorette depict certain identities and promote certain stereotypes?

B. How do the identities and body image ideals promoted by reality TV shows in turn impact
young viewers and their own self-perception?

C. Why are these shows still popular and why do they continue to be made which such narrow
casting choices?
 Curriculum Connections (Grades 6-8)

Learning Standards
Create and communicate
❖ Exchange ideas and viewpoints to build shared understanding and extend thinking
❖ Use writing and design processes to plan, develop, and create engaging and meaningful literary and
informational texts for a variety of purposes and audiences

Comprehend and connect

❖ Construct meaningful personal connections between self, text, and world
❖ Synthesize ideas from a variety of sources to build understanding
Curriculum Connections - Arts Education (Grades 6-8)

Curriculum Competencies
Exploring and Creating
❖ Explore relationships between identity, place, culture, society, and belonging through the arts

Communicating and Documenting

❖ Express, feelings, ideas, and experiences through the arts
❖ Take creative risks to express feelings, ideas, and experiences
❖ Experience, document and present creative works in a variety of ways
❖ Demonstrate increasingly sophisticated application and/or engagement of curricular content
 Student Guide
This section of the media study guide is designed for the students. It includes an
introduction to the topic, important terminology and four activities.
 Introduction

What is reality TV?

Oxford dictionary defines Reality TV as “Television programmes in which ordinary people are
continuously filmed, designed to be entertaining rather than informative”.

How does it work?

❖ Reality TV shows record everything the cast does and this unedited footage is called raw footage
❖ Producers and editors use this raw footage to develop a storyline
❖ Reality TV shows do not have a script written for them (it’s unscripted), but they do have a shooting script, which is an outline
of what will happen in the show
❖ Editors and producers have complete control over:
➢ what footage will be aired
➢ how it is edited
➢ setting up and creating situations between participants
➢ adding dramatic elements to make the show more entertaining
➢ using special equipment that can create a new conversation between individuals using footage from other
conversations
 Body Image and Self-Perception

Today’s young generation

are exposed to over 5,000
advertising messages a
day, which influences how
they feel about themselves.

What influences someone’s self-perception? What is body image?

Social media and reality TV play a huge role in young Body image describes our idea of how our body looks and
people’s lives as they are exposed to it regularly how we think it is perceived by others.
throughout the day. When pre-teens and teens are Body image includes our thoughts and feelings about:
constantly looking at images on social media or from ➔ Height
TV, they become influenced easily. We will compare ➔ Weight
ourselves to images we see without realizing that most ➔ Skin colour
of the time, these images are airbrushed and enhanced ➔ Hair
in many ways. ➔ Overall general appearance
 Photo Manipulation

How does image manipulation impact how we see beauty?

When we look at photos in the media, most of them go through a process called photo manipulation before being
published.

Airbrush is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as: “to alter or conceal (a photograph or a detail in one) using an
airbrush in a special editing program”.

With make-up, photoshoot lighting and using techniques

and programs such as Photoshop, photos and images
create unrealistic images with flawless features which
young individuals aspire to look like.

For example, photo manipulations allows editors to create

longer legs, enhance cheekbones, change eye colours
and cover acne.
The Bachelor/Bachelorette and America’s Next Top Model

In order to learn about how reality TV can impact the body image and self-perception of
teenagers, you will be looking at examples from two popular shows that have over twenty
seasons each. Here is a brief description of each show.

The Bachelor and The Bachelorette America’s Next Top Model

The Bachelor and The Bachelorette are reality TV shows
where one man or one woman has the chance to choose
from 25 contestants to find the love of their lives.
Through a series of group and individual dates, the
bachelor or bachelorette eliminate cast members in a
rose ceremony until they are down to the last two. Then,
in the final rose ceremony, the winner is chosen,
sometimes with a proposal. The show will air its 21st
season in January 2018. There are also several spin-offs
of the show, such as Bachelor Pad, Bachelor in Paradise
and Bachelor in Paradise: After Paradise.
America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) is an American reality
TV show created by Tyra Banks that first aired in 2003.
There have been 23 cycles and the show has been on the
air for 14 years. Cycles 20 was the first season to feature
male contestants, and this continued for 2 more cycles.
However, it didn’t last long, as Cycle 23 went back to the
original format of female contestants only. There are over
30 versions of ANTM produced internationally. The main
objective of the show is for aspiring models to win the
competition so they can begin their modelling career by
signing with a modelling agency.
Activity 1: Reality TV contestants and body image
The Bachelor and The Bachelorette have been criticized in recent years for being

“
racist and not including enough diversity in their contestants. America’s Next Top
Model has been criticized for its inaccurate portrayal of the modeling industry. Look
at the pictures on the next page of the Bachelor/Bachelorette and America’s Next
Top Model casts from the first season and compare them to those from more recent
seasons. Then, complete the two activities by clicking on the links provided.

Use Wordle to Use Padlet to respond

create a word cloud
of the commonalities
and stereotypes you
notice about the cast
members.
to at least three of the
discussion questions
about the images. Make
sure you explain your
opinion.

Connection to LO #1, 2 and 4 and FQ #A and C

Left: The Bachelor Season 1
Right: The Bachelor Season 20

Left: The Bachelorette Season 1

Middle: The Bachelorette Season 13
Right: Bachelors Seasons 1 to 19
Bachelorettes Season 1 to 11

Left: ANTM Cycle 1

Right: ANTM: Cycle 20 (first
season with males and
females)
 Activity 2: Create your own avatars
An avatar is “an icon or figure representing a particular person in a videogame or Internet forum” (Oxford
Dictionary). In this activity, you will create two avatars of yourself.

Follow this link to create your level 1 avatar. Continue to the level 2 avatar maker. The code
This avatar only gives you the choice of is 9999. This avatar allows you to choose your
selecting the clothes you would like to wear, body shape, skin colour, hair style, hair colour
but try to make it the closest representation of and clothes. Remember, try to make your
yourself in real life. Take a screenshot of your avatar look like you! Take a screenshot of your
level 1 avatar. level 2 avatar.
Class discussion questions
➔ Which avatar best represents you?
➔ What do you think is missing from these avatar creators?
➔ How did creating these avatars make you question your self-perception?
➔ Do you think the options available in the avatar creators would frustrate certain people? Who? Why?
➔ Like the avatar makers, when reality TV shows provide representation for only certain groups, how
can this impact viewers? Why do network allows these narrow casting choices to still be made?

Connection to LO #2 and 3 and FQ #B and C

Activity 3: ANMT and Diversity
There have been many critiques about ANTM. Some people feel that the judges are rude, have harsh
critiques, the show humiliates and degrades young women, contestants are forced into embarrassing
scenarios,and the show depicts an unrealistic vision of the model life. However, there are some individuals
who believe that there are many positive aspects about the show. For example, Chantelle Brown-Young
(Winnie) appeared on Cycle 21 and soon became a popular contestant. She has a skin condition called
Vitiligo. According to the The Guardian “her skin condition has made her career and become a symbol for
diversification and progression.” Tyra Banks stated “Her beauty is undeniable and her skin breaks down
barriers of what it considered beautiful”.

With a partner, discuss whether you agree with these

critiques. Has America’s Next Top Model become a platform
where people can connect and identify with the diverse
contestants? Use Animoto to make a short video that reflects
on the discussion points between you and your partner.

Connection to LO #1, 2 and 4 and FQ #A

 Activity 4: Demonstrate your learning

For your final activity, you will be creating a short (under 5 minutes) movie using iMovie. Use
your avatar from activity #2, words, pictures, video clips, sounds, music etc. to showcase who
you are.

Before beginning this activity, take some time to create an “Ingredients of Me” label. Click
here to see an example.

This activity will requires you to dig deep and ask questions about yourself and your identity.
● Who am I? What is important to me?
● What do I care about? 16
● What do I want others to know about me?
● How do I want to be perceived?

Connection to LO #3 and FQ #B
Sources for further study

Media Resources:

Teaching and Learning Guides:

https://www.dove.com/us/en/dove-self-esteem-project/help-for-parents/media-and-celebrities/ch
antelle-brown-young-and-positive.html#

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/the-ugly-truth-behind-pretty-pictures

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/americas-next-top-model

http://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy/media-issues/body-image
 References

(2015, July). Body Image and Self Esteem. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/body-image.html#
ABC. (2017). The Bachelor. Retrieved from http://abc.go.com/shows/the-bachelor
ABC. (2017). The Bachelorette. Retrieved from http://abc.go.com/shows/the-bachelorette
Barlow, Eve. (2015, February 15). Chantelle Winnie: I’m proud of my skin. The Guardian. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/feb/15/chantelle-winnie-model-vitiligo
Building Student Success- BC’s New Curriculum. (2017). Government of British Columbia. Retrieved from
https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/
Common Sense Media- America’s Next Top Model. Retrieved from
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/americas-next-top-model#
Grimes, Gerlinda. (2015, June 18). Just how fake are reality TV shows? How Stuff Works. Retrieved from
https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/just-how-fake-are-reality-tv-shows.htm
Johnson, Matthew. (2015). Avatars and Body Image. Retrieved from
http://mediasmarts.ca/teacher-resources/avatars-body-image
Metz, Winifred Fordham. (2007, December). How Reality TV Works. How Stuff Works. Retrieved from
https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/reality-tv.htm

Rubail, Rusulal (2016, October 22). Who Am I? Help Students Explore Their Identity. Retrieved from
https://rusulalrubail.com/2016/10/22/who-am-i-help-students-explore-their-identity/
Teacher Guidance: Key standards in teaching about body image. Retrieved from
https://www.berealcampaign.co.uk/assets/filemanager/documents/8121.pdf
 Image Credits

The Bachelor:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/whitneyjefferson/the-bachelor-really-is-kinda-racist?utm_term=.aiQqNXGwL#.adLwDR7Bd
http://abc.go.com/shows/the-bachelor/news/updates/20150912-jimmy-kimmel-reviews-bachelor-contestant-bios
http://beta.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-unreal-bachelor-20160326-story.html

The Bachelorette:
https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/bachelorette-trista-men_400.jpg?w=400
http://abc.go.com/shows/the-bachelorette/news/updates/the-bachelorette-2017-cast-rachel-lindsays-season-revealed

America’s Next Top Model:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America%27s_Next_Top_Model_(cycle_1)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America%27s_Next_Top_Model_(cycle_20)

Avatars:
https://pixabay.com/en/amusing-avatar-cartoon-1299761/
https://pixabay.com/en/woman-girl-avatar-female-pretty-159169/

Photoshop Comparison:
http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Photos+stars+before+after+Photoshop/6431423/story.html