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.

William Gellermann of New York, NY asks: I am deeply concerned about the use of "news" programs to promote so-called "reality TV." Will the promotion of these shows on news programs lead to a corruption of the news in the public's eyes?   Frank Farley responds: So far I believe people are able to keep these "reality" shows separate from what they believe to be news. The cross-promotion could blur the distinction, and it would be most desirable to keep these "reality" shows from the news programs as possible, in my view.   Bob Thompson responds: I too am disturbed about this. I have no problem, in principle, with "Big Brother." CBS's decision to "cast" Julie Chen, their morning newsreader, as the show's cheerleader, however, was a really bad one on so many levels. Her appearance not only risks the much-feared blur between news and entertainment, but it blatantly flaunts the fact that CBS doesn't seem to care: "critics be damned, look what this is doing to the ratings of our ailing morning news program!" (This is not to mention, of course, how forced and truly awful Ms. Chen's performance on the "Big Brother" opening episode was.) CBS's shameless cross-promotion of "Survivor" on its morning show is a little less worrisome. It's tacky, but business as usual for the morning shows on all networks. You can rest assured, however, that Edward R. Murrow, the patron saint of broadcast journalists and the former CBS Newsgod, is spinning in his grave.