Desiree Figueroa MCS 244- March 5- Reality Tv Blog Post
Digital media has no doubt made the public consume more content. Since we have the benefits of viewing programs on the go and also easier means of producing our own content the television has grown in an unpredictable way.
Disruptive trends allow viewers more options and more control over what they are viewing. Gone are the days of basic cable when you had to flick through channels to find something that interests you or sit through commercials while viewing your favorite programming. The ease of access to a wide range of shows at any given moment is what differentiates the new generation of television from the old. The people in production are also more inclined to use information gathered through data to determine what kind of programs to make. Again, this puts more control into the hands of the viewers. If producers see more people posting about, interested in, and watching a certain type of show they will keep this show on for longer or make more shows like it. Another disruptive trend is the way you can navigate through digital television and it will make suggestions based on previously watched programming or interests (as with Facebook Watch, Netflix, or Hulu.)
Reality television has changed the way we see human communication by making us more invested in the day to day lives of others. Now a days, people feel the need to have so much information on the lives of others, even entitled to this knowledge. I think that goes hand in hand with the rise of reality television. Television that has more user generated content has allowed people to get an inside look into people’s homes, their workplaces, schools, and pretty much any place else they are willing to show you. Reality television has also made us more likely to portray images of ourselves that are inauthentic. The name reality television belies what it truly is. Once someone knows a camera is on them, they generally just act in a way that they want to be seen. Reality television plays into our desire for authenticity but does not fulfill it. It has made people feel that personal information is a right not a privilege.