Introduction
Reality television is unscripted programming that focuses on footage of actual events and does not involve professional actors. It thrives from the unforeseen drama that folds out on social media. All that is aired on the show is realistic, but the characters create a false interpretation of how families should live daily. Followers of these episodes live with an expectation of confessional moments whereby the players reveal their truth that is caused by social media leaks. Reality TV and social media are a match since the content uses real characters that make them more interesting for viewers and readers.
Definition of Reality Television and Social Media
Reality TV shows might use a host to narrate the story, run the show, or set the stage for how episodes unfold. It is run by editors and producers and does not rely on scriptwriters. On the other hand, social media refers to interaction among people by sharing information and ideas virtually. Individuals create networks and communities that help them communicate with one another. The platforms include Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn accounts.
Impacts of Social Media and Reality Television
Television is one of the significant indicators that social media impacts the entertainment sector. Some successful TV concerts have become unimaginable and do not necessarily have a social media element. Essential metrics of engagement that are popularly used involve stickers, gifs, memes, and sponsored emojis. Although reality TV has been criticized due to the low-brow use of recreational time, it remains a pillar of everyday culture (Jaeger et al., 2020). The audience enjoys the dramatic behavior and crass dialogue.
Reality TV and social media are considered trashy and low-brow by society. There has been a negative attitude towards the platforms, often referred to as guilty pleasure. There are some damaging aspects when the two are combined. The effects of the shows are on both the fans and the stars who face a rough time in the spotlight. Popular power-ups are experienced on social media and reality TV (Allcott et al., 2020). When the whole world was changing into social media, reality shows started using features to enable new dimensions to the experience of viewing. The official Twitter hashtags were introduced by reality TV to encourage online discussion. Online polls for picking the favorite contestants during a particular show also have some effects. There is exclusive footage that their followers only view on their social media pages. These aspects have contributed much to inspiring people who spend time online and are made to encourage those who find that content to become their new viewers.
Role Reality TVs and Social Media Play in People’s Lives
Social media platforms and reality TV have played a role in people’s modern lives. The online content allows the fans to be loyal to their favorite participants for longer. The young generation’s behavior has been affected by celebrity reality shows. The pop culture of reality television that appeared recently has changed society. The shows indicate to teenagers that there is no success in life without the value of money (Jin et al., 2019). It creates a bad tradition for the youngsters, destroying the entire community. Based on many activists and critics, reality has adverse consequences for the viewers regarding how they perceive life. It perpetuates harmful characteristics that include gender, race, and self-esteem in teenagers.
Reality television shows and social media platforms do not demonstrate facts, and many fans who view the programs may need help understanding that. Researchers are seeking to reduce the negative influence on society brought by the shows. For instance, investigators have been campaigning to cancel some shows, keeping up with the Kardashian, American Idol, and The Real World (Ayuningtyas & Achmad, 2021). They claim that the concerts do not display the true meaning of reality. The shows are destroying and ruining the moral values in today’s society. The demonstrations are addictive and influential and thus can quickly engage people in destructive behaviors.
The viewers of reality television shows feel that the characters portray a small glimpse of facts. The performances are entertaining, interactive, and relatable to their prospective audiences. The watchers tend to believe that the TV showcases luxurious lives that give them the hope that their lives will be like those on their screens. Most of the time, the youths can engage in criminal activities to gain financial stability that would enable them to live like celebrities.
The actions being shown on reality television are acted, and the concerts have deemed negative behavior showcased to be acceptable as they are performed during specific episodes. The people of America mimic these terrible habits of reality stars because they think that for them to prosper, they need to be like someone they saw on the show (Jin et al., 2019). They influence their decisions since they learn and react based on what the celebs do. The sessions spark superficial conversations that an average person cannot relate to. The promotion of irresponsible behavior is noted by youngsters who watch the series. There is the degradation of family values and unhealthy relationships inflicted on society.
Benefits of Reality Television and Social Media
Reality television stars use social media to their advantage to gain popularity. Family, friends, and agents of a particular contestant use the platforms to help them increase the number of their viewers even before the show is aired. They have become influencers via Instagram for health brands or clothing when they are showcasing their concerts. Fashion products pick the celebs on reality TV to help market their clothes and urge them to tag the brand in their posts (Stefanone et al., 2019). They increase their earnings through this promotion, and people get to know about a particular product. The accompanying app of reality television is a feature that has been modified to allow fans to vote for their favorite contestant. It has eased evicting stars who are not performing well in a show. It is a simple procedure of tapping their smartphone, and their votes are counted instead of phoning to decide who is the winner.
Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have boosted the reality TV craving. There are live streams, well-designed GIFs, ready suggested comments on the celebrity pages, and hashtags premeditated for the shows. Social media has acted as an island for people to meet and interact. Although sometimes it might feel too much to watch the episodes, the bombardment makes the users experience being part of the show (Wiederhold, 2020). When social media and reality television mix, they become a talking point and enjoy more when discussing their exciting scenes. The stars gain more viewers since the discussions trigger new watchers to like to know what happens with the characters.
Dangers of Reality Television and Social Media
Reality shows are far from being authentic, posing dangers to the fans. Some habits may include immoral behaviors that are unacceptable in society. However, the practice is embraced due to the influence and the followers of the particular star that is demonstrating the bad behavior. A community might change in terms of culture and how people interact due to the impact of social media. Some youngsters need to be educated about becoming artists or actors. (Karsay & Schmuck 2019). When they grow up, the truth reveals itself if they do not find supporters who can make them succeed in their careers. This can be frustrating since their learning was only focused on one field. Education requires diversity to expand chances of landing a good job.
The social media platforms have sections to comment on when these stars post their pictures. It may lead to negative comments, including body shaming (Stark, 2018). The issue can lower the self-esteem of the characters involved, thus causing stress and, in some cases, it may result in depression. Unpleasant reactions on Facebook or Instagram posts can even make one commit suicide. Celebs are likely to lose followers if a post does not go well. This means they can lose their business and income since most earn from there.
Creating Meaning and Enabling Change
Social media has become an essential tool contributing to the success of television as a whole. Viewers influence the shows aired and can boost niche interest to relevance, resurrect canceled shows, or even prevent a streaming service from heavily dropping syndicated play. Social media’s proliferation has brought enlightened people from the façade of overly-produced television. For instance, some platforms, including Twitter and Instagram, give their audiences a front-row seat to real-time celebrity drama. It is, therefore, difficult for the producers of the content to edit what has already been posted at their discretion.
The creation of apps that enable reality show watchers to learn about new episodes through other social media platforms can significantly help. Celebs can gain more fans through interaction podiums that allow comments and feedback. Educative programs can be introduced to help teenagers develop a positive view of the programs. The youngsters should also be taught about societal morals when they are still young since the foundation is built and ensures that they are not easily influenced by the bad habits they get from the shows.
My Opinion about Reality Television and Social Media
After considering the content in this course about reality television and social media, they combined to form an empire of socialization. The network connection that is created makes the world interact quickly and learn new things faster. Many users of these podiums earn their income and can sustain their livelihood through this job (Jaeger et al., 2020). Youngsters are the only people who can be affected if they do not apply wisdom when using the platforms. It is highly encouraged for the users to post what is necessary and helpful to them users. Stars should also not take it too personally or seriously when fans comment negatively about them because it is a place for people to meet, socialize, and have a fan.
Conclusion
The use of social media has pushed reality Television into a new age. Real people are the characters of the shows hence making it a match. It has become a big spoiler because before, people could talk about their beloved contestants by tuning on their TVs to see their progress. Nowadays, there are spoilers everywhere since clips are seen from other reality shows around the world. Some TV channels show their concerts on their Instagram feeds and Facebook pages. This triggers them to tune in and watch the rest of the episodes. However, it has become a dangerous plunderer and can ruin a program if the characters are not people’s favorite.
References
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Ayuningtyas, W. E. P., & Achmad, M. (2021). Understanding the American dream from Kardashian family through keeping up with the Kardashian reality show. CrossOver: Journal of Adaptation Studies, 1(2), 28-43. Web.
Jaeger, D. A., Joyce, T. J., & Kaestner, R. (2020). A cautionary tale of evaluating identifying assumptions: did reality TV really cause a decline in teenage childbearing? Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, 38(2), 317-326. Web.
Jin, S. V., Muqaddam, A., & Ryu, E. (2019). Instafamous and social media influencer marketing. Marketing Intelligence & Planning. Web.
Karsay, K., & Schmuck, D. (2019). “Weak, sad, and lazy fatties”: Adolescents’ explicit and implicit weight bias following exposure to weight loss reality TV shows. Media Psychology, 22(1), 60-81. Web.
Stark, L. (2018). Facial recognition, emotion and race in animated social media. First Monday. Web.
Stefanone, M. A., Yue, Z., & Toh, Z. (2019). A social cognitive approach to traditional media content and social media use: Selfie-related behavior as competitive strategy. New Media & Society, 21(2), 317-335. Web.
Wiederhold, B. K. (2020). Using social media to our advantage: Alleviating anxiety during a pandemic. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 23(4), 197-198. Web.