Reality TV & The Television Industry

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For my Capstone Project I will explore the rise of reality television and its influence on the entertainment industry and viewers in America. Since the 1990’s, reality TV has grown exponentially. Channels like The History Channel and Discovery run dozens of reality television shows every day, from Duck Dynasty to The Bachelor.

The reality television industry revolves around constant scouting for talent and material rather than the slow development process of the narrative and documentary television industry that came before it. Before reality TV, networks would hire large Hollywood-based studios to employ writers, actors, and directors to create scripted series. These shows would take large budgets and months of production time to create. With reality TV shows, far fewer writers are required, and high-cost actors are completely unnecessary.

As more TV channels switch to a reality-based model for the majority of their programs, viewers are migrating to streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu to fulfill their desire for traditional narrative television. These streaming companies have begun to fund their own shows, bypassing cable companies altogether. The most popular example of this is Netflix’s Netflix Originals, shows that are funded and produced by Netflix including Orange is the New Black (2013), Stranger Things (2016), and House of Cards (2013).

Over the past decade, reality TV has played a major role in shaping the television industry. As reality TV becomes more popular, traditional television is finding new niches to fulfill in the streaming industry, and television is becoming dominated by low-budget reality pieces. This low-cost-high-gain trend is great for production cost, but quality of television is suffering because of it.

 

 

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