Reality Television

Reality television is the name given to a genre of television program that emerged around the start of the twenty-first century. In a reality program, people (either members of the public or famous persons) are put in a particular situation and then filmed continuously, with the most interesting events edited together to make the final program.

Reality television may be distinguished from most staged television programs by the absence of a script, and from documentaries or current affairs reports by covering events that have been entirely contrived for the purpose of making the program. The term 'reality television' is somewhat misleading, however, as the situations are often so contrived that the end result bears little or no relation to reality.

Examples of successful reality television programs include Project Runway, The Ultimate Fighter, The Apprentice, Big Brother, Wife Swap, Faking It and Survivor.

Starting with the massive television exposure of the Baby boomers, the Internet - video game playing of Generation X and now the social media reality TV world of the Teacup Generation, modern people have been dumbed down more than any other generation. Television, reality TV and social media are examples of aspects of the media that dumbs down its audience. This over-exposure to inane media without actually going out and "living life" results in Teacup tendencies.

See also[edit]

• Dumb down
• Teacup Generation
• Jerry Springer