Reality series are currently one of the most pervasive forms of television programming. One important issue is frequently considered by viewers and critics: does reality television represent real situations, or is the term “reality” a misnomer? Viewers want to know the truthfulness of what they are watching, or do they?
What was first thought of as just a fad has been going strong for over a decade, and shows no signs of ending. With writer strikes and pressure to keep costs low, reality shows continue to flourish. Murray and Ouellette (2004) acknowledged that “reality TV’s staying power renders an investigation of its relationship to truth and authenticity even more urgent” (p.5).
The question of how real reality television is can be broken down into two main components. The first component is to examine how authentic and close to reality the shows actually are. The second component is examining how real the shows are perceived to be by its audience.
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