REALITY TV

July 2000
		What's behind the increasing popularity of "reality TV"? Robert Thompson, head of the Center for the Study of Popular Television at Syracuse University and Frank Farley, past president of the American Psychological Association, who teaches now at Temple University, take your questions.

Forum introduction Are just we trying to learn more about people by watching reality TV? Is there an age bias in this type of programming? Why would people want to be exposed this way? Will cross-promotion of reality programming on news shows hurt the news? Does TV production take away from the "reality" of this kind of programming? Could this type of TV lead to other, less acceptable forms of voyeurism?     July 5, 2000: A discussion on the rise of reality TV. Browse the NewsHour's coverage of media issues.

Julia Hammett of Reno, Nevada asks: Our recent interest in voyeurism is driven by the paparazzi, entertainment TV magazines and other avenues that peer into the lives athletes, politicians, entertainers, and spelling bee champions. Where did it begin, and where will it end? As we enter this new phase of global humanity, are we not simply trying to reconnect at a first person level, to feel each other’s pain?   Frank Farley responds: It's not clear where it started, but we have always been interested in other people. We are a social animal (some psychology textbooks have that in their titles). Biography and autobiography have always been very popular. Heroes, leaders and celebrities have always fascinated and attracted us. The new wrinkle is the voyeuristic aspect. I believe its most influenced by the dramatic expansion of TV and the consequent inclusion of more extreme programming, as in Jerry Springer, Jenny Jones, et al. These shows relentlessly expose private life -- emotions, feelings, attitudes, beliefs, etc., before a national audience. The advent of magazines that focus on personal life, such as "People," "US," "Celebrity Focus," etc. has been influential. The tabloids, and tabloid TV, also are influential. This won't end any time soon. The expansion of the media means more media are chasing stories, program concepts, etc., and more extreme concepts will find their way into the things we watch, read and listen to. Yes, part of this phenomenon seems to be attempts to connect in a world that seems increasingly disconnected (see the book "Bowling Alone"), but clearly this is not the way to reconnect with other people. These are mere words or images!   Bob Thompson responds: Of course the circular question is: is our current appetite for voyeuristic programming driven by paparazzi and other "peeping" venues, or are the paparazzi simply feeding an appetite that's been around for a long time? I suspect it's mostly the latter. I'd argue that a voyeuristic tendency is deep in the human heart, and that there were cavemen peeking into the caves of others thousands of years ago. The big difference is that now so many cultural and social situations have lined up that allow us to indulge this tendency. A highly competitive television market; a collection of hit shows from Europe to serve as models; a relaxed attitude about content limitations on TV; portable camera technology; and the natural affinity of television and voyeurism have all helped to make the Summer of 2000 a ripe environment for these kinds of shows. Where will it end? Every indication, including the new shows now in development, points to the prediction that we'll soon be looking back at "Survivor" as the classy early era of voyeur TV.