Reality Television

Reality Television

Reality-based television is an amorphous collection of syndicated thematic shows and one-time episodes that have one unifying basis: they rely, in some fashion, on real or true events. This reality can take numerous forms, and the television industry has defined the genre broadly to include tabloid news, talk shows, comedic style shows, and crime-based shows. Examples include shows such as Hard Copy, A Current Affair, The Jerry Springer Show, America's Funniest Home Videos, Cops, America's Most Wanted, and one-time episodes such as "When Good Pets Go Bad," "World's Most Shocking Medical Videos," and "Scariest Chases and Shootouts." These shows rely on film or video footage of actual events, reenactments of events, and interviews with individuals involved with aspecific topic. But the importance of these shows stems from how they shape "reality," emphasizing some aspects over others and limiting some details to create a "news" story. The phenomenon of reality television first gained momentum in the mid-1980s, and due to its popularity and economical production costs, has proliferated into the late 1990s.

Tabloid news shows are a less recognized form of reality television, because shows such as A Current Affair and Hard Copy have a format that resembles mainstream broadcast news.

Reality Television article

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