The author
that wrote the article “Reality TV Producers Should Be Responsible for Participant
Well-Being” believes that there should be more regulation while filming in
order to ensure safety to the participants of their shows. Within these
regulations she includes a variety of solutions such as: all contracts must be
public, limitations on alcohol, sleep requirements and many others.
I do not think that these limitations
should take place. People watch reality TV for the rawness of the acting and to
see all of the idiotic things the participants do. This is what makes it
successful. No matter how seemingly stupid the shows look or how much drama is
included people will always be sitting behind their TV watching religiously.
The people who take part in these
shows know what they are in for so they should be able to handle what is going
to happen or just not sign up. High risk has a counter for high reward and that
is what the actors are in for. They want to make as much as they can and be
famous off these shows. They always have the opportunity to say no to a
contract or producer before they start filming. If they sign the contract it is
their fault and they should be ready to endure the harsh reality of television.
Shows like survivor have a clear goal
of bringing people to their breaking points and pushing them to do things that
they would never dream of doing in real life. This what makes the show so
watchable and addictive for viewers because it is way different from everyday
life. If there were set limitations put in place for reality TV they would
become drab and boring. There would be no wow factor and people would lose
interest all together. Nobody wants to watch a show filled with people doing
the same stuff that they do, there has to be something new, exciting or
adventurous.
Most people on reality TV just want
their 15 minutes of fame and that is why they act the way they do. Whether it
be the drama queen self centered people on Jersey
shore or the redneck risk takers on Buckwild they are all in it for the same
reason. To prove to the world they deserve to be famous. For this to happen
they have to go through the hard work it takes to get the spotlight. Reality TV
is a very cut throat business so who ever wants to act the most extreme will.
Nobody has gotten famous off of reality TV from following the rules and not
getting into trouble of some sort. That’s what the people want and what the
“actors” want so I don’t believe any limitations on the shows would lead to any
great reality TV revolution.
These shows are here to stay and as
long as viewers do not start an uprising on treating reality TV stars nicer I
don’t believe there will be any change anytime soon.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/24/snooki-law_n_1910850.html
ReplyDeleteI agree with Annemarie that there should not be regulations on reality TV. These people on the shows know exactly what they are getting into when they sign contracts to be on the show. People love watching the drama and the ridiculous antics on TV. They come back every week to watch it because that is the type of entertainment people want to see. The Real World has about 29 seasons and is one of MTV's most popular reality TV shows. It is notorious for the crazy drama that happens every season. If there were regulations then it would never be the same. In the article I found it suggested the MTV pay for more police to ensure the public safety while filming Jersey Shore. I think that would be the best compromise because then it is not taking away from the show but it is ensuring the safety of the cast and people around them.
I agree with what you're saying, because safety should be important for the cast but if the show had restrictions then not as many people would watch it. This is especially true for the wilder television shows, such as Jersey Shore and The Real World, as you mentioned. The people who are in The Real World sign up for it themselves and should know exactly what they're about to walk in to before they go on the show, especially because there have been so many seasons and the same crazy drama happens on every single one. People who want their own reality shows or to be part of one need to understand how it'll affect their personal life. Reality television is supposed to be real after all, and adding various restrictions causes the show to lose its realistic appeal that the audience likes so much.
DeleteI personally believe that limitations should be there to an extent. I think sometimes shows give a little to much room and really stupid things begin to happen, but for the most part they should not exist. Reality T.V is just that, reality. Don't stage reality, just let it be, but make sure people are still mostly safe. People don't need to die to entertain others.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you had to say. There shouldn’t be so many limitations that the show is no longer real; however, there needs to be some sort of safety precautions. For example, on show like Survivor, there aren’t any limitations on the things they have to do or where they have to live. However, if someone does end up getting hurt there is a medical staff there immediately. They aren’t going to change the show and make it easier but they are going to make sure someone isn’t in serious danger. If the producers set up too many limitations, the show might as well just be a scripted show. The goal of producers should be to let the contestants do what they want to do, but just make sure they aren’t in too much danger.
DeleteI agree with Annemarie in that the shows aren’t going anywhere unless a number of viewers begin to strike. Reality TV is solely based off of the viewers and if the viewers are happy then the shows will go on. In regards to that, I don’t believe the viewers care about the well being of the participants in the reality show. Realistically, the viewers are watching for pure enjoyment and nothing else. Most likely the viewer doesn’t have a personal connection with the reality TV star so it is not in their interest to be worried about their health. On the flip side, I do believe that the producer is obligated to keeping the participant safe to a certain extent. Yes the participant signed up for it but the producer is responsible for these people and should at least give them a choice or option. It should be the choice of the participant in what he/she does and they should not get discriminated if they opt out of it. All in all I believe setting regulations without altering the show drastically is okay.
ReplyDeleteI agree with pretty much everything you said. Reality TV is both intoxicating and sickening. Viewers love to see people crying and fighting and making complete asses out of themselves, and they really don’t care about whether or not they pass out on the floor. However, if let’s say a contestant on a show got really drunk on a Friday night, decided to run into the street, and got hit by a bus, I think that viewers would care. The producers would most likely cut that part or maybe they’d show it because their greedy and want more viewers. I think that there are some lines that when crossed will make a difference or cause a viewer to care even a little bit. For example, I watched an episode of the Real World and a guy’s mother passed away from cancer. No, I didn’t know him personally or his family, but it doesn’t mean I don’t feel sympathetic for him. I also agree with you when you said that while they signed up they should be given a choice or be allowed to back out. I also agree with your point about the person not being discriminated because of their choice.
Deletehttp://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/should-reality-tv-producers-have-a-legal-duty-of-care/
ReplyDeleteI disagree with this article, reality tv stars know what they are getting into when they sign their contract and they know that there isn't a guarantee at fame or fortune. These actors know what their work entails and producers shouldn't be held reliable for something that the actors knew could happen. Although I think that there should be limitations for these shows I don't think that the producers should be reliable. These reality tv actors should know their own limits and know what they can handle. If they don't know these thing then why should a producer be held at fault for an actors stupidity.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2007/08/are_realitytv_actors_professional.html
ReplyDeleteThe article that I have provided a link for talks about whether or not reality tv actors should be considered professional actors. If they should be treated like professional actors then they would receive all the perks and benefits that a professional actor gets. But are reality tv actors even actors? They shouldn't be acting at all because it's all supposed to be real life scenarios and emotions. So why would they be considered actors, let alone professional actors?
Once again, I don't think there should be limitations on the cast members of reality TV shows. Telling adults what time to go to bed and what they can and can not drink, is childish! Those limitations don't even exist in the real world. So if the producers want to be true to REALITY TV, they just need to let the cast members be free to do what they want and deal with the consequences the same way they would in the real world. However, I do believe if a cast member is in immediate danger or putting another person in danger, the producers should obviously step in and take action. Other than that, the producers should sit back and enjoy the fact that these wild animals are making them money!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kara. There should not be limitations on the members of the television now. these members put themselves out there on "real" TV so whatever is put out on TV the members should not get hurt by it. Putting limitations would simply cause people to revolt, you simply can not tell adults what to do. How they act is their fault and they can suffer from the consequences. I agree with the fact that if someone is in danger that actions from the producers must be taken because no one should be in danger. Producers should not limit their members but yet watch them do what they do best. Reality TV will continue as long as it is getting viewers. I don't see people stopping reality TV for a while.
Deletehttp://scholarship.shu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1040&context=sports_entertainment
ReplyDeleteThis article explains the reasoning behind why networks and producers should be liable for the negligence inflicted upon the participants. I disagree with this article, as Bradley said earlier the participants sign contracts and put themselves at risk when they decide to participate in the show. They are well aware of the possible events that can occur and are given the opportunity to choose whether to participate or not. The producers do not necessarily commit the actions or enforce certain situations upon the participants. In certain situations the problems are in the hands of the participants and not the producers. The participants are all adults and are at fault, the producers should not pay for their actions. Limitations would only deprive the show of its value of reality. The participants are given the opportunity to make their own decisions which should only be infringed upon if things get too out of hand.
Reality TV producers are greatly responsible for the well-being of their attendants, but the consequences of the people participating is not completely determined by the producers. Often, a lot of the consequences that befall said participants is easily brought upon by themselves. The producers may help with this cause, but they are not 100% involved. After all, it was the participants’ initial choice to come on the show in the first place. They are fully responsible for putting themselves out there, and thus should be able to take responsibility for their own decisions and actions. One way to look it is that the producers create a kind of playing field, where it is optional for people join in. People have to make the decision to partake in their playing field, and are therefore personally responsible for making this decision themselves. It is not fair to say that it is the producer’s fault that a participant joined a show and was harmed, as an opinion.
ReplyDelete