History of Reality Television: the phenomenon of Big Brother.

As my first blog I wanted to go over the history of reality television, why did it become such a big hit with consumers, what are the most successful shows in this genre and how did the history of reality television shape the genre’s structure today?? The establishment of reality television transforms the media landscape. Reality television is a tangible consequence of the growing commercialisation of broadcasting. The exhibition of ‘real life’ attracts the attention of the wider public. While reading “Staging the Real: Factual Programming in the Age of Big Brother” I realised that the success of the new reality formats was that they were exactly that, NEW. This program style was something completely new, an interesting approach to audience engagement.

The general points about the structure and creation of this style of programming are as follows: The broadcaster is driven into creating a relatively inexpensive program, complementing existing programs exhibited on the network, light entertainment, maximum entertainment opportunity fashioning this for specific requirements, a market driven approach to television and the hybridisation of genres. The use of ‘real’ performers may explain the majority of the success of this genre. The viewers’ recognition of how other people live their lives mirrors real life.

To make a definition of the genre first the relationship between genres should be established, along with the similarities. To evaluate reality television depends on identifying what it is, what makes reality television different from other styles of programming, blurring the intertextual elements of the media’s practices. Since the development of television as the main broadcasting medium, programs have been classified, creating a ‘branding’ system. The development of new technologies made it possible for greater creative control to creators. Since the release of this technology to the consumers, the reality television genre took centre stage within television programming. Now that this new technology is available to the consumer anyone is able to produce a product. Specific generic expectations of the reality television genre include using natural light and recording synchronised sound and using a light weight digital video recording material. Reality television became a convenient style of programming and was quickly produced by networks. Reality television wanted to educate and inform the public about real issues, but I think quickly changed into a situation of exploitation, where this media structure is not aiming to educate audiences but instead used to entertain. The entertainment of reality television is structured in a way so that programs are a hybrid of genres. This hybrid, drama, sitcom and game show, appeals to the wider audiences. It is the wide spread popularity of this style of programming that ensures the continuation of the genre and specifically pushes advertisers to invest in reality programming. From a historical perspective reality television provided audiences with an opportunity to view situations that would not have socially existed. It is this ‘staging’ of reality that combines the traditional documentary filming techniques within the television market. It seems to me that reality television is now mirrored with discourses of public service. This social microcosm is reminiscent of George Orwell’s book 1984. Initially reality television was considered an opportunity to present consumers/audiences with issues of public concern, such as current affairs programs. It is the public domain of reality television that changed the social position of television.