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Reality TV in the past decade has grown into a pop culture fad. With reality shows popping up on almost every channel, they become nearly impossible to avoid. These reality TV shows cover just about everything: pregnant teens, rich housewives, hoarders, drunken partiers, and so on. The database CQ researcher states that, "Critics generally dismiss it as a crude form of entertainment that appeals to the lowest common denominator". If that is so then why does reality TV pull in some of the highest ratings on television? It all goes back to America’s interest with celebrities. The cult of celebrity is something that traces back through history: people love people that are famous. They are willing to dismiss any type of behavior because of their fame. "It's as if celebrities belong to a different species of human beings, one that can do no wrong" (Rahman). Many of the shows on today portray vulgar and irresponsible behavior that shows little consequence for the characters' actions. Many believe that this behavior seen on TV is affecting those in our culture, therefore is reality TV harmless entertainment or damaging to our culture? Society should address this problem by recognizing that the behavior seen on "reality" TV is neither realistic nor acceptable.

In the past years television, and the selection of shows, has grown. One show in particular that has taken over the TV world is reality shows. Because these reality shows are on so many channels, they have a great impact on our society and culture. Reality TV shows have become a problem because of the message they send out to viewers. Reality Television portrays lives in an unrealistic way, and when people watch these programs they are led to think that what they are seeing is a true portrayal of everyday life. Britannica Online Encyclopedia stated, "What this tends to mean is that they get edited to include more conflict, danger, more things that you could call negative. When viewers watch this sort of show, they begin to believe that reality is like that-that reality is typically full of conflict and other negative events. Therefore, when people watch reality TV, they can end up having a more negative perception of real life than is actually warranted." Television is a main source of entertainment in today's culture, almost everyone has a TV that they will watch on occasion. "Television also brings its viewers a steady stream of programs designed to entertain and inform" (Curtin). But many of the programs today that are designed to entertain often have a deeper effect. When people see the staged lives of those on reality shows they think that that is how life is supposed to be. Many of their daily decisions are effected because of what they see on TV, especially among younger viewers. CQ Researcher stated, "It's not just the anonymous masses who are concerned. “I think of how generations of kids are watching this program and are gaining permission to treat other people that way, to judge them and to say nasty things to them." Viewers watching reality shows tend to look up to the people who are on them, they feel that they can relate to them because they are "normal" people.

The revolution of reality TV is a fairly new issue presented to society, but it continues to add to issues that started back in history. Reality TV has continued to enforce the cult of celebrity, a trend that has been seen throughout America's history. "...since the days of George Washington there have been iconic figures that Americans looked up to, aspired to be like, or were simply fascinated to learn more about" (Walker, ABC Clio). Celebrities have always been in the spot light, but it wasn't until radio, TV, and the internet that really launched this obsession. ABC Clio discusses the idea that celebrity obsession started back in the 1960s. " The suggestion of the 1960s as a precise time when events in politics, news, geography,technology, and celebrity culture all converged to create a media "perfect storm", the 1960s is the true epicenter of our celebrity-driven culture we have today." Reality TV today adds to this cult of celebrity because it creates characters that viewers can look up to, or feel like they can relate to. Another issue that we commonly see today that was introduced back in history is divorce. According to CQ Researcher, "No-fault divorce allowed a couple to dissolve their marriage without assigning blame or responsibility to either party. First adopted in California in 1970, the concept spread quickly to other states." Because of divorce "...children were depressed, could not concentrate in school, had trouble making friends and suffered a wide range of other behavioral problems" (Jost). In the midst of these problems, many children don't have a role model to look up to. The characters on reality shows come off as "normal" so children and teens look up to them when making decisions because of the lack of role models in their own lives.

Reality Television has become a cultural threat to our society. It leads an unrealistic view of life, sends out a negative message to its viewers, and has characters that influence the youth in our society. In order to fix these problems the FCC, Federal Communications Commission, needs to update and enforce television standards and structure. This can be done in three ways. First monitor reality TV. The ones that portray inappropriate and unrealistic behavior should be cut from television programs. “There are some TV shows that really should go, now; Reality shows that invade privacy (Intervention) and celebrate bad behavior (Jersey Shore) deserve a quick death and no reruns ” (Fralic). With those shows off the air it leaves spots for shows that could potentially inform or send out a better message to society. According to CQ researcher, “ …it's cheap and vulgar and takes away programming hours that could be given to culturally positive new shows.” Secondly, the celebrities on reality shows, need to be replaced with ones that will set a better example for those in our society. On today’s reality shows there are characters that justify bad behavior and almost always make poor decisions that could potentially influence others to do the same. “Boys and girls behaving badly. So badly that now they’re stars for behaving badly” (Fralic). By replacing them with better role models, these shows will be influencing viewers for the better, not for the worse. Finally, in order to change reality shows is to change how they are made. Almost all reality shows are scripted to make them more dramatic and entertaining. If they must be scripted it should be done in a way that is more positive, more uplifting rather than negative and depressing.

Updating the standards and structure of reality TV shows will not only benefit the viewers, but our society and culture as a whole. This plan is better than those of the past because it is taking the rules for reality TV shows further than ever before. The FCC regulates what we see on TV. They have created rules against "obscene and indecent" material, but based on what is seen on television today little has been done to enforce these rules. The first reality show was //Candid Camera// in 1949, but it was much different than the reality shows that we see today. “ //The Real World// moved the format ahead by staging an environment in which "reality" could occur in 1992” (Slocum). This new format of reality TV is the one we see today that has begun to affect society. Therefore I recommend that reality TV shows be transformed from programs full of scripted fighting and negativity to programs that portray reality in a positive and beneficial way that people can truly relate to and learn from.

Someone who would object to my position on reality TV is someone who doesn't think that reality television is bad. Some believe that watching reality TV can do a number of things for its viewers. It can make people realize good things about their own life when compared to the ones seen on TV and it can make people feel happier when they realize how unhappy those on reality shows actually are. " we don't have as many dramas and aren't living as large…And yet, we can't help but notice if we watch enough, we seem to be happier than these people" (David). These viewers believe it would be pointless to cut certain reality shows from television if there are some people that find benefit from them. Even though reality TV may have that effect on some people, it still does not benefit our society as a whole. People watching the failures of others has become a form of entertainment through reality TV. This is not a good quality in people that should be enforced, it de-sensitizes people and because of that they begin to treat others poorly. "Another factor to consider is that everything we see and take in affects us on a cognitive level—just like you are what you eat, we are now becoming more and more of what we watch. This concept is called media priming—the idea that what we see, read and hear is influencing our behavior and emotions more than we realize" (Schenxnayder). Having the FCC remodel and enforce the standards for reality TV will result in some shows being cut off completely from television. This plan will provide lasting benefits because it will create a structure that reality TV will have to follow. Having reality TV shows follow the new rules will ensure that our culture and society will no longer be threatened by the harmful messages seen on television today or in future programs to come.

Another objection to my position on reality TV would come from a viewer who finds that being able to relate to those on reality shows is a good thing. This type of viewer believes that feeling like you know or can relate to a person on television makes the world feel less overwhelming. " Reality TV shows us that the world isn't quite as overwhelming as it can sometimes feel…people we're watching look more like us than the air-brushed celebrities we're used to seeing…They, in fact could be us. We feel like we know them, much in the same way that Facebook makes us feel like we know everyone. The universe thus feels a little smaller and perhaps a bit safer" (David). This viewer believes that reality television has not only become a form entertainment but also a form of comfort to many people in our society. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17px;">Although that may be true in some cases, most times being relatable to those on reality TV shows is not a good thing. Yes we may look like them or feel like we know them, but that is just the trick. This resemblance allows for them to have greater influence over its viewers, which in most cases is the most vulnerable citizens in our society, youth. "...children and teens are more likely to take away messages and have their viewpoints influenced by television when they aren’t getting their information elsewhere" (Weinstein). Therefore certain stars of reality television shows needs to be replaced with ones that will set a better example for its viewers. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17px;">Taking out the bad role models from realty TV and replacing them with good role models is a part of my plan that will benefit many. It will especially be beneficial to the youth in our society because they are the ones who are watching the majority of these shows and taking in their messages. Having better role models as the stars of reality TV will turn todays negative influence into positive influence that will be good for viewers and for our society as a whole.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17px;">A final person that would disagree with my position on reality TV would be a writer for reality television shows. J. Ryan Stradal is a writer for unscripted television shows and he says that just because something is real doesn't make it a story. Stradal explains that they can only deal with what's already happened and that ultimately his job is to tell a story. With that many writers for unscripted shows would disagree with my proposal of changing the way reality TV shows are scripted. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17px;">Yes, the jobs of writers for reality television shows is to help tell the story that they are filming, but it is the part of the story that they choose to tell that has become the problem. "reality shows often resemble scripted shows, with producers staging scenes, plotting story lines and feeding participants lines…it is a hybrid of docu-style filmmaking and dramatic storytelling" (Gold, Verrier). After filming there are hundreds of hours of footage to choose from in order to make a one hour episode. Writers and producers take advantage of this and stage the footage to make situations look worse then they are so that they appear more dramatic and entertaining. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17px;">With my plan, reality shows will be scripted in a way that won't set up shows for the worst. They will instead portray a positive message rather than negative ones seen today. This will be better because it will show viewers that good things can happen when people make the right decisions. It will also show that even those on TV have good morals that can be looked up to and followed after. This part of the plan will help enforce good role models in our society that will help influence viewers for the better.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17px;">In the past decade reality television has grown into a popular form of entertainment among those in our society. This form of entertainment is becoming a threat to our culture and damaging to everyone in our society. Its growing popularity has allowed it to take hold of influence among citizens in our country, especially among the youth in our society. Some believe that it is harmless entertainment that can make us happier and feel better about ourselves, but I have found this to be completely false. Reality television enforces bad qualities within people, influences and justifies bad behavior, and creates role models that should not be looked up to by any of its viewers. The FCC is an organization that needs to update and enforce the rules and standards for reality television. Parents and guardians also need to monitor what their children are watching in order to ensure that these problems do not effect their own children. Reality TV can affect the lives of its viewers, and those viewers have the potential to go out and affect others' lives based on what they have seen or learned from television. <span class="huge" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17px;">"Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."