weekly analysis 4-1

4-1 weekly analysis- Realuity TV shows

Reality TV shows have gained in popularity in the recent years. I would consider it a part of popular culture because of the vast amount of viewers this type of show has. According to the text book, 70% of society 18-24 years old are viewers of reality TV shows (Petracca, 2007). These shows feed off what viewers want to see and it reflects the values of the popular culture. One type of reality show is where contestants get voted off every episode. Some examples of this are Survivor, Next Iron Chef, and Weakest link.  These shows are a part of popular culture because they appeal to viewers ideas to get rid of the worst person on a team. Another type of reality show is the type where the show follows a group of people around in their everyday lives. Some popular shows of this type include Jersey Shore, The Real Housewives, and Rehab. I think the reason these shows are a part of our popular culture is because It gives people a chance to live someone else’s life. They get to experience the ups and downs of someone else’s life by watching it on TV. This is the same idea with soap operas, which were a part of popular culture after the great depression.

Reality shows are a part of popular culture because they are the shows that society is interested in right now. There is such a broad range of topics that reality shows cover that there is a show that will interest every person.

Petracca, M. & Sorapure, M. (2007). Common Culture. Upper Saddle River: New Jersey.