Now this is a topic I can talk for hours about because I am absolutely a fan of reality TV. Given this I thoroughly enjoyed this week’s course materials which provided me with new insights into the role of digital community and fandom, specifically with reality TV.
The definition of Reality TV is perfectly articulated as ‘hypervisibility, coalescing over-the-top emotions with behavioural transgressions that promise the thrill of unpredictability within the security of televisual contrivance’ (Kavka 2019).
What is interesting is the love hate relationship the public has with reality TV, which the coursework noted is consistently downvoted as a genre in public surveys (Swinburne, 2022), however the ratings in Australia speak for itself with reality TV content continuing to have strong interest with Australia public (MediaWeek 2021). Perhaps people don’t want to admit they are reality TV fans, as it’s seen as trash TV or low brow, but secretly watch these shows on the down low.
I for one am not ashamed to be a fan of the genre.
For me the allure of reality TV is the element of escapism. After a stressful day of work, being able to switch my brain off and wholeheartedly throw myself in as a viewer of other people’s drama, fun times, beautiful houses, amazing travel destinations, and ever changing relationship dynamics, is easy watching. Indeed, a study exploring the reality TV consumption behaviours of college students found the very same motivation, the data showed that college students viewed reality TV as an escape from their reality (Lundy et al. 2008).
The Real Housewives franchise and Ru Paul’s Drag Race are two of my favourite reality TV shows, which is why I found the reading from Brennan & Gudelunas so interesting. Firstly, a scholarly piece on Drag Race is unexpected, but secondly, it provides a deeper understanding as to why the show has been so globally successful as it showcases drag as art, as professional but also providing a platform for race, sexuality, queerness to be discussed openly (Brennan & Gudelunas, 2017).
So while reality TV shows might get a bad rap publicly, I am not ashamed to support the genre. Reality TV provides a welcome form of escapism, and provides global platforms for marginalised people who may not otherwise have an opportunity to share their story, which in turn can educate, and uplift viewers.
References
Brennan, N & Gudelunas, D 2017, ‘Drag Culture, Global Participation and RuPaul’s Drag Race’, RuPaul’s Drag Race and the Shifting Visibility of Drag Culture, Springer International Publishing, Cham, pp. 1–11. <https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-50618-0_1>
Kavka, M 2019, ‘Reality TV: Its contents and discontents’,Critical Quarterly, vol. 60. no. 4, pp 5-18.
Lundy, Lisa & Ruth-McSwain, Amanda & Park, Travis. (2008). Simply Irresistible: Reality TV Consumption Patterns. Communication Quarterly. 56. 208-225. 10.1080/01463370802026828. <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233557440_Simply_Irresistible_Reality_TV_Consumption_Patterns>
MediaWeek 2021, By the numbers: The most watched programs of 2021, <https://www.mediaweek.com.au/by-the-numbers-the-most-watched-programs-of-2021/>.
Swinburne Online 2022, ‘Syllabus’, MDA20009: Digital Communities, Learning materials in Canvas, Swinburne University of Technology, viewed 3 December 2022