Reality Shows, Really???

I would like draw your attention to the most happening thing in Television these days - Reality Shows!!! Its quite long post and needs patience.

Reality shows are anything but real. They are a carefully choreographed social experiment with a predictable result: higher ratings, more advertising money and a bigger market share. Naturally, the sun always shines on TV and the viewing public is presented with a congested nothing of everyday life. Not. Since no one can make nothing look good (some politicians are exception to the rule), games are devised, which are designed to promote a dog-eat-dog mentality, with contestants trying to please the public but usually falling prey to their personal traits. They are chosen among hundreds of candidates which are profiled, screened, tested and checked from every possible aspect. The aim is to create an environment of maximum possible conflict, because conflict sells and to bring in unnecessary gossip or personal life of the contestants. And the last sentence is the only reality there is. Everything else is created, produced, crafted, choreographed, manipulated and - well - faked.
Media don't present reality, they create it.

There is a difference between ordinary public, the "media consumers" if you will and "media professionals", individuals and organizations that create media and/or live off them (celebrities, performers, journalists, politicians, opinion makers, etc…). The latter know the name of the game and are acutely aware of the fact that what the viewing public is presented with, is at best a close approximation of reality and take that into consideration when entering a relationship with the media. That is why you will often see two professionals nearly get into a fight on TV, but see them happily chatting over a bottle of beer only hours later.
The "media consumers" have no such luxury. They can either accept what media serves them or choose to ignore them completely. They do not enjoy the privilege of a behind-the-scenes look. And naturally producers of reality shows do little to dispel the faked reality of television which is the main driving force behind people applying en masse to enter these shows.

"Wow, I'll be on TV! Everyone I know will see me on TV and I'll be famous! This is my big break! Maybe I'll start a musical career, like what-was-her-name, you know Miss Sunidhi Chouhan!"

When "media consumers" enter reality shows they become both object of mockery and admiration, fueling the desire of other "media consumers" to be there in their place. However, when they outlive their usefulness, the TV will shun and reject them without a blinking an eye, just as it took them onboard without hesitation as soon as it became apparent they had they "have what it takes" for making the show interesting, whatever that may be.

"So, you're blind, huh? Dont worry, we've already set everything up… Look, it's your call, but if you decide to stay, we promise to give you full medical support for as long as you're here. Hey, mom and dad will see you every time they switch the TV on. Or even over the internet. You'll be a big hit and since you're blind everyone will like you. What could be better than that?"

Producers of reality shows claim to respond to public demands. Wrong. Just as with reality, media also creates demand for content, especially when they market it right. But what they actually respond to is a drive for profit. TV producers invest respectable amounts of money in reality shows and in return get an attentive public, higher ratings, higher market share a shit load of advertising money and even bigger pile of money they made by charging for all those text messages sent and 24/7 internet access.

And what does the viewing public get in return? That there are people out there whose lives are just as miserable as theirs?

It could be, that it was all an elaborate PR stunt, and that I've fallen for it. As I said, media create reality.

During the first music reality show TVS Saregama in the nineties, hosted by Sonu, which produced a lot of talent, I always used to wonder at the judgement given to certain contestants. I thought the judgement should also be based on what viewers think as they're the one watching the show and if these contestants do make it to the top, these same viewers would purchase their albums/movie cassettes.

So, I was naturally thrilled when Gajju'ji introduced the concept of voting through sms/website. All was well, until I guess about an year or so back, father of a contestant wasn't willing to accept that his kid had lost based on votes, as he had ensured that his relatives kept on voting on the website and through sms. So, all in all, if I can muster my finances and resources enough, I could get any of the contestant to WIN, irrespective of his/her capability and talent, which proves that talent is nothing.

Now coming to my actual concerns,
1. These votes/sms/interactive calls all cost money and its big money for both the mobile company and the reality show - a least of Rs. 3/- per sms, while a normal sms would cost 30p or lesser. But, why should I as a consumer be taken for a ride? My maid servant tops up her mobile (we presented to her) once a year with the festival bonus we give her. Her 9 year old school going girl finished the currency in a matter of few weeks by voting for the reality shows. Its huge money, she alone lost close to Rs 900/-, which is more than her monthly salary. Imagine many more like her who could have lost thousands of rupees and the mobile companies raking in huge profits.

2. We all saw what happened to one of the reality show contestant, she was admitted to Nihmans (mental health care hospital in Bangalore) due to depression caused by comments from the reality show judges. Who has given these judges the license to ruin a kid's / contestant's life? In Bangalore a girl committed suicide cause her brother didn't allow her to watch a reality show. Where are we heading?

3. You'll be really gross if you'd watch shows like MTV Roadies, where contestants are asked to do such nonsense and awfull things, it leaves a bad taste in the viewer. Ditto Ditto for Big Boss, where the contestant bitch about each other so much and bring in a lot of personal life into the shows, cause as I said controversy sells and it sells big. The lastest addition being Sach Ka Samna... oofff, this show could derail many relationships. The questions asked are always on extra-marital relationships and sex... most of them are...

I could go on and on but this will seem like a thesis/doctorate work on 'ill effects of reality show', so would stop here and seek your views and concerns. Could we also have a campaign against the reality shows first and if we have consensus register a PIL against these shows. I'm not against the shows, they've given us talents like Sunidhi Chowhan, Kunal G many more.

All that I would look at is :
1. Talent should be recognised and not the power to buy votes via sms/calls.
2. Shows should not bank/capitalise on a contestants weakness like some one is blind/poor or has had a trauma etc.. but focus on talent and capability.
3. Voting via sms or other means to be regulated so that the mobile companies / shows dont erode people of their hard earned money.
4. Shows should refrain from selling by showcasing controversies between judges, contestant or bringing their personal life into these shows.

Let me know what you feel.