Reality television programming is rapidly growing, and the ratings reflect its popularity with American audiences. "Survivor," "Temptation Island," "Big Brother," "The Real World," "The Mole," "Pop Stars" and "Making the Band" are just some of the glimpses of reality the networks have offered.
But just how real are these shows? And why do so many people enjoy watching them?
David Appleby, communication professor at The University of Memphis and documentary filmmaker, shared some of his thoughts on the actual amount of reality in these popular programs.
"What is real, really becomes the question that one should ask oneself, which is always something we as documentary filmmakers ask ourselves," Appleby said. "How much is manipulated and how much is real?"
Appleby, who isn't a fan of the programs, doesn't see anything real about them, and questions these programs being labeled "reality TV." He said he believes in order for the programs to be successful, they must create drama and adventure where there isn't any.
"Television makes it hard enough to distinguish between what is fact and what is fiction," Appleby said. "By calling all of this reality programming, it's probably not helping people to discern one from the other."
Even though reality TV may not be any more real than any other sitcom or drama on TV, there is something about it that attracts the voyeuristic qualities in people.
Dena Saulsbury, a U of M graduate student, began watching reality programming in the summer with "Survivor I." She got hooked on watching the character's personalities.
"I like the psychology and strategy aspects of the shows, like which character is going to do some two-faced thing to another," Saulsbury said.
Saulsbury had heard a number of the participants in these shows were aspiring actors and actresses and helped in producing the drama for the show.
"As far as I am concerned they can call it reality, staged, whatever -- it is good programming," Saulsbury said.
June Lie is a U of M student who watched "The Real World" installment in New Orleans. She said she enjoyed watching it, not because she thought it was real, but because it was so unreal and fake.
"I liked watching these stupid girls play for the camera just to get reactions," Lie said.
David Houston, an assistant psychology professor, said he thinks people watch reality TV programs because they like looking at themselves.
"We like the idea of it being real folks that we can identify with, even though it may be a controlled and contrived environment that isn't reality," Houston said.
Another reason people may watch reality TV, Houston said, could be explained by the psychological phenomenon in which people take pleasure in seeing someone else's discomfort and struggle.
Reality TV may be just a passing fad, but for the moment, it has captured the attention of millions of television viewers. Whether it should be called reality TV is a question that can only be answered by the producers, editors and participants on the shows.
