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Hevany Mota

Mrs. Litle

English 121 001

11/03/2019

Media Reality

The mass production of celebrity: ‘Celetoids’, reality TV and the ‘demotic turn’ by

Graeme Turner solely discuss the phrase “demotic turn.” This is the basis of his argument which

he uses to characterize the increasing production of ‘ordinary ‘celebrities through reality TV and

DIY celebrity websites (153). In this article turner argues that there is a shift in people due to the

media; the shift that occurs in ordinary people to famous people and the what happens on TV

against what happens in reality. I agree that the media is being used to affect traditional standards

negatively; it changes how the masses view these standards, it changes how the subject naturally

act and also sets a different standard of culture for children that are now coming into this world.

This is an important topic because it causes the rest of the world to be misinform about what is

taking place in reality.

Turner points out the fact that the media is picking up people and changing their life

rapidly. Ordinary people with no talent can now be showcased on television for reality shows,

game shows or soap. Some people also don’t even last that long in the media; they describe them

as Celetoids; people that are one hit wonders (Turner 156). I agree with this because the media

shows no care for people they take them for simple entertainment purposes and control their

lives even in “reality” tv shows and then put them down when they are done. For example,

families that are on Family Feud, the cast of Keeping up with the Kardashians also the cast of
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Jersey Shore; just to name a few. The cast of all of these television shows are barely gifted with

any talents but are chosen because of various other reason and they are picked to act a script

despite the point of the film is to be themselves. This causes people to change how they naturally

act.

Before times have gotten so complicated; the media was looked at as a point of reference

to learn about different cultures and social activities (Turner 159). However, in recent times the

media as done more inventing and creation of culture rather than a proper teaching. The media

selectively picks and orchestrate what is being broadcasted and how it is being broadcasted. For

example, the Miss World Pageants are not proper depiction of what people of those countries

look like; the media selectively picks who they want to broadcast to keep a particular viewing

audience and to keep the amount of views. According to Turner, this interlocks with the term

“demotic turn” because it shows how the media take ‘ordinary’ people that have particular skills

or looks and use them to portray their ordinariness on television (160); and their performance is

usually a generalization on a specific group. As used in the example the person used to represent

America and in the Miss World Pageants is chosen because of her looks and talents and is used

to depict how everyone from the United States are. This causes the masses to view these nations

in a particular way.

Turner decides to ask the question, “whose interests they operate but what might

constitute the media’s own interests.”(161). The media have proven them selves to work for

entertainment purpose; they are showing their want for popularity in terms of many people

viewing; however this causes a major problem in society. Misguided information from the media

causes the people to believe that was is being showed or aired in true, this now, makes people try
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to live within the standards of what the media portrays and now it causes an entire shift in a

culture slowly but surely; people want to be just like what they see “ordinary” looks like on TV.

In conclusion, this article brings up many very important topics about the media and the

changes it causes in our society. I agree with the points that Turner is making; the media that was

once used for our information needs and medium for sending messages is now used to convey a

form of entertainment for the population. The media causes: change in how the masses view

these different parts of society, changes in how a subject might naturally act and also also sets a

different standard of culture for children that are now coming into this world. This is important

to question and want change because it causes the rest of the world to be misinform about what is

taking place in reality.

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Work Cited

Turner, Graeme. “The Mass Production of Celebrity.” International Journal of Cultural Studies,

vol. 9, no. 2, 2006, pp. 153–165., doi:10.1177/1367877906064028.