The Reality TV category consists of multiple genres. The most widespread being lifestyle and competition. It can often be the ones that follow lives of real people that can be the most unrealistic.
This then has a negative effect, the public become so wrapped up in the lives of other people, it can alter their own
perception of reality. A common example is the star of television's "The Hills", Lauren Conrad. The attempt to portray her as a regular, career-minded girl is somewhat overshadowed by the fact that
she earns $2.8 million a year. Yet, people become involved past the point of being just fans. It can go as far as believing that their own
lives are a reflection.
These characters are often seen as idols, people to be admired. This kind of influence can be dangerous. Especially when, more often than not, their fame comes from things that would generally be frowned upon. For example,
teen pregnancy shows follow the lives of young girls after they give birth. However, the portrayal of motherhood is embarrassingly minimal. The shows tend to focus on their petty problems and love lives, rather than the actual hardships. The girls are presented as celebrities, promoting teenage pregnancy, rather than seeing it as the
cultural issue that it is.
Not to mention the "stars" of shows such as "Jersey Shore". What are they famous for? Drinking, partying, and commonly acting like fools. Yet it's the
most watched MTV programme ever to be produced. The influence that the characters have on children is a matter of great concern. Their behaviour is appalling, yet they are role models because their celebrity status. They are admired for creating drama, and making large sums of money for each episode. A poor representation of how society really functions.
Bad influence is almost an understatement when it comes to the craze surrounding shows such as this one.
A current query is whether reality shows are scripted. Supposedly, all of the situations and dialogue are real life, unplanned and random. However, there is evidence to
suggest otherwise. It is clear that scenarios are created and altered in order to increase viewership and ratings. So the perception of "reality" can be immensely inaccurate. The characters are not invented, they do of course already exist, however they can be used as a tool to
attract viewers. Nothing like a good dose of sympathetic indulgence to draw people in. Once again, the shows are promoting immoral decision-making.
