http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Strange-News/French-TV-Experiment-Which-Encouraged-Players-To-Torture-Another-Contestant-Condemned-In-France/Article/201003315575334?f=rss
Given that so many of my friends are active or at least interested in various forms of media, I'd very much like to discuss the subject of the power of the rolling camera, the flowing pen, the clicking keyboard, etc. Power used and power abused. Power knowingly employed and power under-estimated...
What are your thoughts?
Not exactly an answer to your question, but my impressions are:
ReplyDeleteWhile that particular example is, on the surface, sicker than most, isn't all "realty" TV dependent upon the voyeuristic tendencies of us all, and the perverse delight we often take from watching others humiliated and suffering?
For the most part, I agree with your take on "reality" TV, David. Sadly, it's the humiliation and suffering that seem to sell... a reflection of the fallen state of mankind.
ReplyDeleteYears ago, before the "reality TV" craze, I was asked as a writer to help develop a new show. It was to be "like a game show, dealing with divorce, and with both entertainment and redemptive value..." I passed on the project because it wasn't going to pay anything until it took off (which is always iffy) and I needed some reimbursement to be able to afford babysitters and gas money. When I look back and look at the success of Reality TV, I sometimes kick myself for not finding a way to make that project work. It could have been financially lucrative. On the other hand, I'm glad that I was not a part of exploiting the suffering of others for the sake of entertainment and then trying to justify it by tagging on a little "redemptive" angle--that's the direction so much of reality TV seems to go.
I do think, however, that as redeemed human beings, we are capable of making reality TV that isn't so perverse. "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" is a good attempt. It is voyeuristic, but instead of delighting in humiliation and suffering, it seems to focus on making us aware of what we can do to lessen the suffering of others in tangible ways.
I don't pay a lot of attention to Reality TV, but it might make for an interesting sociological study to examine what is made, how the world views of the show creators influence it, what people watch, who is watching, how the content affects the lives of the viewers, etc.
As a former actor, with many friends who are actors, I do hope this wave of so much reality TV will continue to subside... actors suffer unemployment when there is too much reality TV!