Reality Shows: Relevant or Not?
Many examples of popular reality shows
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https://www.melissahughes.rocks/post/the-scientific-reality-of-reality-tv
By Halle Hess
Whether it’s about dating, self help, competition, makeover’s, games, or even family shows- there is a reality TV show about pretty much anything. The vastness of Reality T.V makes it impossible to find a show that you don’t like just a little, there is something for all to enjoy.
Reality TV is a genre that encompasses a wide variety of supposedly unscripted real-life situations. American sociologist Danielle J. Lindemann defines reality TV as, “a set of programs that feature non-actors and make a claim to reality (whether or not there is any sort of “scripting” actually taking place) but are intended to mainly entertain rather than inform.”
Many people wonder what it is that makes reality TV so popular. It could be because it provides viewers with an escape from their own reality. It allows people to immerse themselves in others' drama, pick favorites and follow their journeys, and get a glimpse into lifestyles and worlds that viewers otherwise wouldn’t get to experience.
Reality TV shows have been around since the late 1940s, but they didn’t gain popularity until the 21st century. Shows such as Keeping Up with the Kardashians, The Simple Life, and The Real Housewives all gave regular people an insight into the lives of socialites doing everyday mundane tasks. Yet somehow, people found this fascinating.
A graph of the top ten most watched reality shows of 2024
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https://www.brandvm.com/post/10-reality-tv-shows-2024
Now the question is whether or not reality shows have maintained their views over the years. With the growth of short form social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, so many people are choosing to share the events of their lives there, racking up millions of viewers and followers. This is similar to reality tv, as it is people choosing to share what they want about their lives for anyone to see. Therefore, it would be understandable if the longer form reality shows had a decrease in viewers.
So is reality TV still popular? The answer is yes! January through March of 2024 was filled with Joey Graziadei’s season of the bachelor, with people picking team Kelsey or team Daisy and passionately fan casting Maria to be the next bachelorette. Summer 2024 was the summer of Love Island USA, involving people voting for their favorite couples and anxiously awaiting each day's new episode. This fall the rise in social media usage drove the competition series, Dancing with the Stars, to gain a 25% increase in viewership compared to last year.
A list of the longest running competition reality shows.
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The chart above is a list of just some of the longest running reality tv shows. This just goes to show the long lasting success of many reality shows that are still popular to this day.
Now you may be wondering how prevalent reality TV shows are in the lives of those around us. In a random survey of 28 Jenks high school students, 68% voted that they do enjoy watching reality TV, while 32% voted they don’t. This shows that while it is split, the majority of people do find themselves entertained by reality TV.
In an additional survey, some of Jenks students favorite shows include Big Brother, The Circle, Dance Moms, Love Island, The Kardashians, The Bachelor/Bachelorette, and Love Is Blind. These shows make up only a fraction of the endless options of reality shows that are out there for people to find.
The Bachelor, The Kardashians, and Jersey Shore: 3 successful and long running reality shows
Photo credit: https://medium.com/change-your-mind/reality-tv-stars-show-us-how-not-to-be-mindful-of-emotion-1f4410cdad24
Overall, even with the growth of social media platforms, reality tv shows have managed to maintain their popularity and relevance. Networks and streaming platforms have the ability to produce shows that captivate their audience and leave them wanting more. Social media even allows you to now follow the lives of your favorite reality tv show stars even after their season is done airing. You can visit your favorite streaming platform to find your next binge worthy reality show.
