1 Memorandum To: Television Viewers From: Justin Dizon Date: December 12, 2012 Subject: The Effects of Reality Television on Society Enclosed is the report The Effects of Reality Television on Society. This report analyzes the different effects reality television has on society, both positive and negative. The information gathered derives from a survey questionnaire given to common everyday television viewers of various age groups, race, profession, and of both genders. It will give a better understanding of how the opinions of reality TV by typical television watchers are influenced by what they see on the screen. Any trends or patterns are also indicated. It is my aspiration that the following information provided to all television viewers alike would be both informative and enlightening.

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THE EFFECTS OF REALITY TELEVISION ON SOCIETY

Prepared by Justin Dizon Student at Kean University

Report Distributed December 12, 2012

Prepared for Professor Amy Dixon English 3090 Kean University

3 Abstract Reality television has been a growing fad this past decade and continues to grow each day. Singing competitions, endurance challenges, grueling obstacle courses- these are a few examples of themes reality TV shows might have, all of which ultimately lead to a cash prize or big award. Television ratings show that reality television continues to lead the pack among all shows clearly showing the enjoyment American viewers have on reality TV. But as many might not know, reality TV influences society and how we view each other. Stereotypes, clichs, and prejudice are often depicted on these reality shows, which can ultimately brainwash its viewers. With this topic, I have the opportunity to analyze the different ways; both positive and negative, reality TV has influenced society as well as possible changes it can take for the future. This topic interests me because I am a keen viewer of many reality television shows and I can compare and contrast the different aspects of various shows impact on society.

4 Table Of Contents Abstract.. 3 List of Figures. 5 I. Introduction... 6

A. Reality Television History (Background)... 6 B. Different Reality Television Shows. 7 C. Problem 9 D. Proposed Solution 10 E. Questions Researched11 F. Limitations of Research.12 II. Methodology and Research13 A. Primary Research Questionnaire13 B. Secondary Research Outside Data Collection..14 III. Results and Discussion... 15 A. Results of Questionnaire. 15 B. Results of Secondary Research 19 IV. Conclusion and Recommendations..20 A. Review and Recap 20 B. Solution and Recommendations. 21 C. Next Steps..22 References23

5 List of Figures Figure 1: Info graphic on Reality TV By The Numbers .. 8 Figure 2: Survey Results- Description of Cast (The Jersey Shore) .. 18 Figure 3: Survey Results- Description of Cast (The Real Housewives). 18 Figure 4: Survey Results- Description of Cast (Teen Mom)..18

6 I. Introduction A. Reality Television History (Background) Reality is defined by the dictionary as the world or the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them. The world we are living in would be described as our own reality but thanks to television, we now have the opportunity to view the reality of others. Reality TV is essentially television program[s] in which there are no writers, actors, or scripts. Instead, the shows focus on real events or situations (Perritano, 2011). This past decade reality television has grown to cement itself into our everyday culture. Watching the lives of others unfold right before our eyes is something we take pleasure in whether it may be promoting the successes or failures of people. Television based on reality has been in existence for more than 70 years but the first reality television show to air was An American Family on PBS in 1973 (Perritano, 2011). This innovative show, which focused on a family dealing with marital issues, gay lifestyle, and changing values, ultimately served as a stepping-stone for reality television today (PBS, 2011).

7 B. Different Reality Television Shows Singing competitions, endurance challenges, documentary, and dating-based are all different genres among the reality television realm. And in the company of each of these different reality shows are a diverse group of individuals that make up the personalities of the show. Shows like American Idol, where being an overnight pop star is honored; and The Jersey Shore, where over-the-top partying is ridiculed, are both shows praised by the viewing public. During Summer 2010 alone, 15 of the top 20 highest-rated programs were reality or unscripted shows (Carter, 2010). This evidently illustrates that most viewers embrace all reality television shows whether it depicts the successes or failures of others. Reality television can serve as different purposes such as incentive, advice, insight, or pure entertainment for a quick escape from life. Hence reality television being real, it is easier for us to relate to the individuals involved in these shows through similar issues, environment, job, or families. But the TV personalities depicted on these reality shows may be exaggerated or even understated and turn out to really not be who you have been watching all along.

8 Figure 1: Info graphic on Reality TV By The Numbers

(Citation for Figure 1 is located on the bottom of visual)

9 C. Problem For many, reality television is the lowest form of entertainment, an insult to our collective intelligence. In their view, reality TV lauds crass behavior and creates a voyeuristic peep show. It glorifies abuse, elevates shallow personalities and promotes dysfunctional relationships (Perritano, 2011). It is sad to say, but watching other people make fools out of themselves or get humiliated is not only what is found to be entertaining but it is also profitable. The rise of reality television is mostly responsible financially because of inexpensive production and higher revenues. That being said, the powers that be (producers and directors) behind the scenes of the reality shows will go to extreme measures as far as fabricating personalities on the show and making them more into characters in order to keep high viewership. Nearly all reality shows arent real. Conceits, editing, casting, storytelling, shooting. Theyre not intended to shed beacons of light and truth (Guttentag, 2008). When cast personalities are fabricated, general ideas are made; and when general ideas are made, stereotypes are formed. These stereotypes can lead us to judge the real individuals of our lives based on what we see on television. And ultimately, can effect how we live our lives in society.

10 D. Proposed Solution The obvious solution to eliminate all reality television would be impossible and completely preposterous. Therefore, there can be other solutions to the following problem. To avoid stereotypes from surfacing due to character generalization, more diversity can be incorporated into reality television shows. Moreover, watching reality television can be used positively instead of just for entertainment purposes. Depending on the type of show, valuable knowledge can actually be obtained. But the most prominent and effective solution would be a greater sense of viewer responsibility.

11 E. Questions Researched This report will analyze a series of questions to help aid in determining the types of reality television shows common viewers enjoy watching and why, as well as opinions and noticeable trends. Questions include common demographics such as: What is your gender? What is your age? What is your ethnicity/race? What is your sexual orientation? In addition, questions involving television viewership included: On average, how many hours of television do you watch a week? Among all the television shows you watch, how many are reality shows? Which of the following types of reality television shows have you watched? How often have you watched each reality television show listed below? Using three words or less (adjectives), how would you describe the casts for the following reality television shows?

12 F. Limitations of Research There were a large number of limitations when it came to both my primary and secondary research. Because of time limit, access, and location, I was not able to retrieve a broader amount of replies for my primary research questionnaire. I was limited to twenty-five participants of my survey, which consisted of mostly friends and schoolmates relatively the same age. Allotted more time, I would have liked to survey a more diverse group of individuals including a larger number of older individuals. In addition, a few more questions added to my survey to further my research would have been desired. As for my secondary research, I had difficulty finding the most acceptable sources for my topic. My topic was broad which make it difficult to narrow down to one main idea while finding the perfect sources to support my investigation. Moreover, a secondary source I was restricted on using were the Nielsen Ratings. If given the access to this formidable data, it would help by pointing out specific trends and patterns in correlation with my survey results.

13 II. Methodology and Resources A. Primary Research - Questionnaire To gather primary information, a survey was administered to those individuals available and most convenient at the time. On that account, twenty-five questionnaires were distributed during the month of November 2012. The participants were selected merely based on locality and time. These individuals ranged from a wide base including close friends, relatives, schoolmates, and co-workers. All participants were first asked the question, Do you watch television? before beginning the survey. All answers in return were yes which strengthened my target audience of television viewers in my research. Once the questionnaire was given to the individual, I gave an allotted five to ten minutes to completely answer all questions fully and truthfully. The survey began with common demographics questions including gender, age, race, and sexual orientation. Next, questions were asked regarding their viewership on reality television such as how many hours do you spend watching television and how many reality television shows do you watch? The survey ended with a final opinion question asking to describe the casts of several reality television shows using only three (adjective) words or less.

14 B. Secondary Research Outside Data Collection All information was obtained through personal experience and multiple sources. These sources ranged from newspaper articles, video presentations, and online blogs. All sources were designated by highly experienced professionals who have the proper knowledge to speak about their given matter. The collected data from the secondary research was used to support certain arguments in my research. The data helped strengthen the credibility of particular issues, both positive and negative, to further progress the research of this report.

15 III. Results and Discussion A. Survey Results - Questionnaire The results of the survey provided enlightening statistics and data that showcased multiple trends in the viewership of reality television. One important trend observed from the data was the larger number of females over males who not only watched more television a week but also higher number of reality television shows. That being said, a probable conclusion that can be made is females are more affected by television than males. Female viewers tend to be more emotionally invested to particular shows and are more greatly influenced to what they watch. In relation, when it comes to age, the younger demographic (16-25) spends more time watching television and reality shows when compared to older viewers. Reality television under the category of competition and documentary in likes of American Idol, The Jersey Shore, and The Real World displayed being watched most by this demographic. In addition, a somewhat obvious trend pointed out was competition based shows being the most popular among all questionnaires. Shows like American Idol and Survivor were commonly answered as Watch Religiously, while related shows like Dancing With The Stars and The Voice were filled in under Other and marked with the same answer. This statistic may be obvious as these types of competition based reality shows are often the ones who score big with ratings and viewership throughout the television season.

16 Another trend this research provided was the correlation between gender and types of reality television shows watched. It was proved that dating-based and self-improvement shows were more favored towards females, competition shows more towards male, and documentary-style a split between both. The overall results drawn from these trends and patterns is that viewers that relate most to the characters of a specific show are influenced most by that show. For example, a show like The Jersey Shore that depicts the outgoing fun lives of twenty-somethings is watched most by that very demographic (16-25). Viewers find most entertaining the reality shows where they find themselves most in. They enjoy watching the depiction of these lives whether it is a positive or a negative representation of a similar lifestyle the TV viewer may have. Probably the most pivotal part of the questionnaire was the data collected from the final question asking to describe the casts in specific reality television shows using only three words (adjectives) or less. The results gathered were astounding. It was amazing to see how many individuals agreed with the same or similar words when describing the casts. A show like The Jersey Shore had the cast described as: uneducated, alcoholics, dramatic, obnoxious, and superficial. With these labels describing The Jersey Shore cast who are dominantly Italian and from the New Jersey area, it can lead to the generalization of these groups ultimately leading to stereotypes. Moreover, a show like Teen Mom was described as irresponsible, troubled, and immature. These terms can lead viewers to judge all teenage girls as this from the influence of merely watching the show. All in all, the

17 way viewers see the characters of a reality television show are the true depictions of how they are on the show.

18 Figure 2: Survey Results- Description of Cast (The Jersey Shore)

Figure 3: Survey Results- Description of Cast (The Real Housewives)

Figure 4: Survey Results- Description of Cast (Teen Mom)

(Figures 2, 3, 4 were generated using Microsoft Power Point)

19 B. Results of Secondary Research Through secondary research, I was able to make much more conclusions when it came to the issue at hand. Reality has largely gotten a pass because it ostensibly reflects reality overlooking how participants are depicted as characters in much the way fictional personalities are (Lowry, 2010). With that being said, it provides an entirely new perspective on reality television and how the ways it influences society are less superficial than it seems. Watching various genres of reality television myself, it is hard to ignore the types of roles several shows may have in a common. The outspoken teenager, the quiet and shy, the insecure gay, or the sexually active are all typical roles that can be commonly seen on reality television. A less-settling prospect is that less-educated audiences are also tuning in, and perhaps drawing unflattering conclusions based on narrow stereotypes (Lowry, 2010). Many reality television shows today are beginning to be perceived as false due to the power and control that television has today. Producers of reality television will create a character for her[self] (or himself) to play to merely increase ratings. She (or he) would be that archetype role no matter who she (or he) truly was (Guttentag, 2008). These predetermined roles are used to fulfill any gaps the show may have whether it is a gender or racial related role. All these falsifications made are merely for the fulfillment of viewers.

20 IV. Conclusion and Recommendation A. Review and Recap Reality TV is influencing our lives whether we watch or not (Perritano, 2011). Reality television has been affecting our lives since its first emergence and will continue to do so today and in the future. Reality television has become a part of our lifestyle and has slithered into our culture (Perritano, 2011). Although reality television may promote the worst values and qualities in people and glorify the failures, some may convey a positive message and actually be used for self-improvement. Reality television is actually just giving the viewers what they want, (Taylor, 2011) having their wishes fulfilled on the television (Guttentag, 2008). Reality television having such characters who find true love, become a notable star, or an instant millionaire gives viewers the opportunity to live their dreams vicariously from the other side of the box.

21 B. Solution and Recommendations One solution I recommend which I originally proposed earlier would be to further diversify the cast involved in reality television. To avoid any stereotypes or obvious predetermined roles, unique and unexpected individuals should be casted. With more diverse personalities on reality television, it will potentially eliminate any more stereotypes and create a new dynamic for the show. Moreover, mixing people of different genders, races, sexual orientation and cultures will create a more positive relation between the show and its viewers. Another logical solution would simply be viewer responsibility on what kinds of reality television they choose to watch. You can continue to watch shows merely for the mishaps and tribulations of life or be informed by the positive messages reality TV may have. A show like The Biggest Loser may display obesity but it convey(s) important information about diet, weight loss, health and fitness (Perritano, 2011). Moreover, shows like Hoarders or True Life can serve as informative to individuals with similar behavior or as public awareness to the population.

22 C. Next Steps Just imagine, What if reality TV was actual reality? Keep in mind as viewers, that what you are watching is not always real life. Do not always allow yourself to fully invest in the characters and stories depicted on these shows as they can all just be a fabrication. Have control on what you watch and do not let it greatly affect your judgments about other individuals. Remember, reality television is not going anywhere and it is here to stay for a very long, long time. It will continue to affect not only society but also every individual internally and emotionally who watches. So make a difference while you have the chance and try not to get brainwashed!

23 References Carter, Bill. "Tired of Reality TV, but Still Tuning In." The New York Times. September 13, 2010. (December 2012). http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/13/business/media/13reality.html Guttentag, Bill. "Why are Reality TV Shows So Popular?" March 19, 2008. Online video clip. You Tube. Accessed on November 2012. Perritano, John. "What is reality TV's influence on culture?" How Stuff Works. April 2011. (October, 2012). http://people.howstuffworks.com/culture- traditions/tv-and-culture/reality-tvs-influence-on-culture.htm PBS. "An American Family." (December, 2012). http://www.pbs.org/lanceloud/ american/ Taylor, Jim. "Reality TV is NOT Reality." Hartford Courant. Jan. 31, 2011. (November, 2012).http://blog.ctnews.com/taylor/2011/01/31/reality-tv-is-not-reality/