How real is Reality TV? According to Mark Andrejevic and other critics, there is hardly anything genuine. Reality has reformatted television networks with their evening programs. Before there was an array of comedy and drama sitcoms, now it is hard to view a night without reality shows in the line-up. But really how different are the reality shows to sitcoms? Has the entertainment industry construed reality into a “customized commodification that exploits the very people who willingly view and are viewed on reality TV” (LeBesco, 2005).
The phenomenon of reality TV is that people like watching real life. Viewer’s emotions are targeted to produce the intrigue that entertainment execs count on. Reality TV has changed the way Americans watch television. The illusion of spontaneous actions by real people in real places is the plot. When in reality, just like sitcoms, every aspect has been planned and positioned accordingly. “Viewers of reality television who basks in the knowledge of the manipulative character of the programming but who cannot escape its grip” (LeBesco, 2005). This is an orchestrated event that hardly seems like reality.
Reality TV is customized entertainment. In Karen LeBesco’s review on “Reality TV: The Work of Being Watched” by Mark Andrejevic explains how reality television is a culture industry. Television has a major impression on popular culture. Reality TV gives impressions on human behavior. This can be in a positive or negative. On the show Flavor of Love, a dating game show to become rapper Flavor Flav’s main squeeze. The women are vulgar, violent and rude. This sort of behavior is not how we want our children to act. Watching and learning this behavior can have a negative effect on society. On the other hand, Extreme Home Makeover, a show about home renovations or building to less fortunate people in America is positive reality TV. This show displays compassion, gratitude, and hope. The behavior of the cast members and families should be acknowledged in today’s society.
Corporate media execs know that drama sells. The more controversy the better for ratings. Therefore, they would rather put a show that does not display good character behavior to achieve high rating then in turn, grows profit. The egotistical attributes to television by corporate execs is demoralizing America’s culture.
Karen LeBesco‘s book review on “Reality TV: The Work of Being Watched” by Mark Andrejevic is projected towards a more educated group. She claims that “jargon and difficult theatrical language” used maybe difficult to interpret (LeBesco, 2005). LeBesco gives examples from the book for a potential reader to make their determination to read it or not. However, I am not convinced it would be worthwhile. The strong language used to write to book review does set the reader up for the style on Andrejevic’s writing. Overall, it was intriguing to know that others have the same aspect of reality television as I do.
Reference
LeBesco, K. (2005, November). Reality TV: The Work of Being Watched. Journal of Popular Culture, 38(6), 1116-1118. Retrieved May 21, 2009, doi:10.1111/j.1540-5931.2005.00187.x
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Bottled Water, the $4 billion dollar industry has taken over how society consumes liquid refreshments (NRDC, 1999). It wasn’t that long ago when drinking from a labeled bottle of water was become a trend. Marketing towards teens and young twenty-something’s has made this industry a part of popular culture. Starting with images of young trendy athletic men and women and promising pure and natural thirst quenching spring water. By viewing ads on television, magazines, billboards, and etc. it lead consumers into believing that bottled water was better than tap water.
So is bottled water really better tasting and healthier? According to the National Resource Defense Council bottled water is not exactly what is presented. “About as much as 40% of bottled water is derived from tap water” (NRDC, 1999). This doesn’t sound like the “natural spring water from the alps” that some bottled water promises. The purity of bottled water seems to be a myth. Others that do come from natural springs have been reported that the “FDA rules exempt 60-70 percent of bottled water sold in the United States from agency’s bottled water standards” (NRDC, 1999). Bottled water companies do not have to follow safety standards compared to the EPA, who tests tap water. City tap water has to be tested for E. coli and other forms of bacteria that the FDA does not require from bottled water processing plants.
The National Resource Defense Council tested over 1,000 bottles of 103 brands of water and found that one third of the bottled waters were contaminated with bacteria. This figure is concerning as a consumer. The bottled water industry is losing its reputation of the purity of its product. So next time when you go to purchase bottled water consider exactly where the water actually came from and the purity. Going back to basics with drinking from the tap really isn’t sounding so bad.
So is bottled water really better tasting and healthier? According to the National Resource Defense Council bottled water is not exactly what is presented. “About as much as 40% of bottled water is derived from tap water” (NRDC, 1999). This doesn’t sound like the “natural spring water from the alps” that some bottled water promises. The purity of bottled water seems to be a myth. Others that do come from natural springs have been reported that the “FDA rules exempt 60-70 percent of bottled water sold in the United States from agency’s bottled water standards” (NRDC, 1999). Bottled water companies do not have to follow safety standards compared to the EPA, who tests tap water. City tap water has to be tested for E. coli and other forms of bacteria that the FDA does not require from bottled water processing plants.
The National Resource Defense Council tested over 1,000 bottles of 103 brands of water and found that one third of the bottled waters were contaminated with bacteria. This figure is concerning as a consumer. The bottled water industry is losing its reputation of the purity of its product. So next time when you go to purchase bottled water consider exactly where the water actually came from and the purity. Going back to basics with drinking from the tap really isn’t sounding so bad.
NRDC (1999) Bottled Water, Pure drink, pure hype? National Resource Defense Council. Retrieved on June 16, 2009 from http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/bwinx.asp
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Assignment 4-1
The Daily Show on Comedy Central is one of my favorites. I sometimes catch reruns late at night, but before school sucked up my evenings, I watched it religiously. The news parody that host Jon Stewart delivers is why the show is a part of popular culture. Its humor delivered with real news. Jon Stewart uses his clever tactics to report on current events to his audience.
The show had it challenges by being taken seriously. And by no means is it a completely serious show, but it is reputable. The Daily Show has won 12 Emmy Awards. The show doesn’t follow the typical format. It’s opinionated and worthy. The show is also refreshing. All day we are surrounded with news on the radio, television, and Internet. The Daily Show puts an edge to delivering news.
This year on The Daily Show was interesting to watch during the presidential election. Jon, the political junkie, spotlighted the campaign and the candidates. He even had them as guests on his show. John McCain and Barak Obama were two of the top rated shows during the election. Their candid interviews were funny, but it also gave potential voters insight to who the candidates really are. Jon also hit them with hard questions about the state of our country and their plans to change that. The Daily Show gives something unique that combines both comedy and real news is skillful.
The show had it challenges by being taken seriously. And by no means is it a completely serious show, but it is reputable. The Daily Show has won 12 Emmy Awards. The show doesn’t follow the typical format. It’s opinionated and worthy. The show is also refreshing. All day we are surrounded with news on the radio, television, and Internet. The Daily Show puts an edge to delivering news.
This year on The Daily Show was interesting to watch during the presidential election. Jon, the political junkie, spotlighted the campaign and the candidates. He even had them as guests on his show. John McCain and Barak Obama were two of the top rated shows during the election. Their candid interviews were funny, but it also gave potential voters insight to who the candidates really are. Jon also hit them with hard questions about the state of our country and their plans to change that. The Daily Show gives something unique that combines both comedy and real news is skillful.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Assignment 3-1
This week I decided to write on Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The fraternal twins have been starlets since babies and still capture interest at the age of 23. The girls started on the sitcom “Full House” as the baby sister. The twins played a part of one character on the show, because the filming schedule can be warring on babies and small children. “Full House” ran for 8 years that made the girls a household name.
Their role on “Full House” was just the beginning for the Olsen twins. After the show ended the girls went onto producing and starring in their own movies. Little girls around the country idolized them. The Olsen twins even started their own clothing and merchandise line. These items were sold in discount and departments stores. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen built an empire on their biggest fan base, girls between the ages of four years old to twelve years old.
As the girls grew up, their popularity didn’t fade. When the girls were headed off to college was when their stardom really affected their lives. As they tried to stay out of the lime light and concentrate on academics at New York University, the world still was interested with the Olsen twins (Wikipedia, 2009). Even as they avoided Hollywood, it would not avoid them. Through their ups and downs, paparazzi were there to report boyfriends, breakdowns, and party life.
Mary-Kate and Ashley have been very successful, with a report of a combined net worth of $300 million (Tresniowski & Green, 2008) all by the age of 23. The girls have lived their entire life onscreen. As we await their return to films, they are still making fortunes in fashion and image. With their Boho style and nightclub sightings, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are still impacting popular culture.
Their role on “Full House” was just the beginning for the Olsen twins. After the show ended the girls went onto producing and starring in their own movies. Little girls around the country idolized them. The Olsen twins even started their own clothing and merchandise line. These items were sold in discount and departments stores. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen built an empire on their biggest fan base, girls between the ages of four years old to twelve years old.
As the girls grew up, their popularity didn’t fade. When the girls were headed off to college was when their stardom really affected their lives. As they tried to stay out of the lime light and concentrate on academics at New York University, the world still was interested with the Olsen twins (Wikipedia, 2009). Even as they avoided Hollywood, it would not avoid them. Through their ups and downs, paparazzi were there to report boyfriends, breakdowns, and party life.
Mary-Kate and Ashley have been very successful, with a report of a combined net worth of $300 million (Tresniowski & Green, 2008) all by the age of 23. The girls have lived their entire life onscreen. As we await their return to films, they are still making fortunes in fashion and image. With their Boho style and nightclub sightings, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are still impacting popular culture.
References
Tresniowski, A. & Green, M. (2008, March 3). Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Inside Their Strange World. People Magazine. Retrieved on June 2, 2009 from http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20179726,00.html
Wikipedia. (2009). Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Retrieved on June 2, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary-Kate_and_Ashley_Olsen
Tresniowski, A. & Green, M. (2008, March 3). Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Inside Their Strange World. People Magazine. Retrieved on June 2, 2009 from http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20179726,00.html
Wikipedia. (2009). Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Retrieved on June 2, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary-Kate_and_Ashley_Olsen
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