#week 5

just a QB and his girl

WEEK 5 DRAWING COMP

Look up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's..

@summer-of-bad-batch

WIP Wednesday: 31 feathers crocheted after week #5 of raven shawl 🐦‍⬛

I’m curious. What comes first in your mind when you hear of the term “Reality TV”? Is it the jaw-dropping ways of how the Kardashian sisters spend their money, the full wardrobe of branded shoes and handbags they own? Or, the half-comedic, half-sympathetic scenes of contestants who stand pen-straight on stage with their fingers crossed, tongue-tied, hoping not to get too humiliated by the judges? Even if you’re not a fan of reality TV shows, I’m sure you have watched a clip of them somewhere before. We’re living in a mobilized, digital age where mostly every form of media is being carried around, with social media ingrained in our daily lives. Same goes for the current development of reality TV. We carry reality TV everywhere today and we can watch them anytime we want through our phones. Marked by a sudden invasion of AI into the media industry, we even see an unbreakable potential of reality TV stand firming in its position, or perhaps to grow even bigger.

And here’s why. 

Back when the first reality TV show was screened, producer of Candid Camera Allen Funt began by placing “hidden cameras”, as he wanted to capture the utmost genuine human behaviours during unguarded moments(AV Communication Review, 2022). With his actions being condemned as an invasion of privacy, the programme hired William Saroyan, who established the primordial concept of today’s reality TV: placing real people into social situations designed by the show’s writers and producers (Murray, 2009). 

"Smile, you’re on camera."-- Allen Funt

This leads us to our first finding: one may argue about the extent of authenticity of reality TV, but it is undeniable that it won’t ever be completely fake. The portrayal of real human emotions secures the future of reality TV and promises growing potential of its value among a bunch of soulless, robotic figures inside the AI-generated videos. 

I remember coming across this clip from the show “90-day fiance” for the first time on my phone. It was a fine Sunday afternoon. The character, Ed no-neck, real name Edward Allen Brown appeared on my phone….

My first reaction was: “Dang….. hahaha…. Is this person real…why is the show so dumb…?” 

Yes, I might think it was dumb at first, but it did intrigue me to want to know more about the show and then... it was episode after episode. I was hooked. The mind-blowing, chaotic stories between international couples who have to deal with visa problems and emotional conflicts have become a great time killer for me for a good while. I remember what added to the fun were those hilarious YouTube comments underneath where people just say the most unhinged stuff they could. These other people who equally enjoy the show made differing comments with regards to individuals of the TV show. And you'll see different sides forming, creating different clicks who support different viewpoints towards the couples and their unusual romance.

This formulates another point: the power of the digital community converged with the nature of reality TV. According to Henry Jenkins’ theory of participatory culture (Jenkins, 2006), audiences no longer passively consume media. Instead, they actively participate in discussions, content creation, and online fandom spaces that continuously expand the lifespan of reality TV shows. What fuels the influence of reality TV isn't just the quality or nature of the TV content, but also the audience - the people who love these shows. Their engagement facilitates communication which eventually leads to the development of a strong base or community that eventually draws more people in. It's like a spar

The last question we have to ask is what is so entertaining about reality TV? These shows Love Island, The Survivor, Masterchef, etc. are able to sustain production that lasts for seasons and years, supported by a huge base of audiences and fans, both public and “hidden”. Such TV consumption encourages parasocial interactions, where viewers develop one-sided emotional attachments toward contestants.

 Maybe the answer is as simple as because we want to learn about others, and we like them. This is why reality TV will prevail, in the coming days of artificial intelligence and increasing digitalization.

So... do you have a favourite TV show? Let us know in the comments down below. :))

Week 5 Reflection: Digital Community and Fandom: Reality TV Case Study

References:

AV Communication Review. (2022). Jstor.org. https://www.jstor.org/journal/avcommrev

Jenkins, H. (2006). Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture. The MIT Press. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/8435.001.0001

Murray, J. (2009). Darwin and his publisher John Murray. Science Progress, 92(3-4), 289–295. https://doi.org/10.1177/003685040909200302