Reality television originated in the late 1940s with unscripted shows like Candid Camera that filmed unsuspecting people in amusing situations. In the 1970s, docusoaps like Seven Up! began observing the lives of families and social issues. The 1990s saw the rise of formulated docusoaps that placed people in artificial environments and situations to increase drama, exemplified by The Real World. Global popularity exploded in the 2000s with game shows like Survivor and American Idol topping ratings. These reality formats focused on drama, games, and competition with global appeal.
Reality television originated in the late 1940s with unscripted shows like Candid Camera that filmed unsuspecting people in amusing situations. In the 1970s, docusoaps like Seven Up! began observing the lives of families and social issues. The 1990s saw the rise of formulated docusoaps that placed people in artificial environments and situations to increase drama, exemplified by The Real World. Global popularity exploded in the 2000s with game shows like Survivor and American Idol topping ratings. These reality formats focused on drama, games, and competition with global appeal.
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Reality Television as a Popular Culture Fact Sheet
Reality television originated in the late 1940s with unscripted shows like Candid Camera that filmed unsuspecting people in amusing situations. In the 1970s, docusoaps like Seven Up! began observing the lives of families and social issues. The 1990s saw the rise of formulated docusoaps that placed people in artificial environments and situations to increase drama, exemplified by The Real World. Global popularity exploded in the 2000s with game shows like Survivor and American Idol topping ratings. These reality formats focused on drama, games, and competition with global appeal.
Reality television originated in the late 1940s with unscripted shows like Candid Camera that filmed unsuspecting people in amusing situations. In the 1970s, docusoaps like Seven Up! began observing the lives of families and social issues. The 1990s saw the rise of formulated docusoaps that placed people in artificial environments and situations to increase drama, exemplified by The Real World. Global popularity exploded in the 2000s with game shows like Survivor and American Idol topping ratings. These reality formats focused on drama, games, and competition with global appeal.
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REALITY TELEVISION
AS A POPULAR CULTURE FOCUS/CASE STUDY (PART I)
1. THE CREATION OF REALITY TELEVISION WHAT IS REALITY TELEVISION? Defining reality television is difficult because it is difficult to draw a line between the reality genre and other television genres such as documentary/game show/drama comedy/sport/performance art etc. Charles Parsons, creator of the Survivor format, defines reality shows as those containing producer created environments that control contestant behaviour (! "and# $ustralias obsession with reality television by %errie &urphy, '((), p.*)+. , Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripte dramatic or sometimes humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features orinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or ot!er situation "!ere a pri#e is a"are$ ($dapted from -ill, $nnette ('((.+. Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. /outledge+ HOW REAL IS REALITY TELEVISION? /eality television fre0uently portrays a modified and highly influenced form of reality, at times utilising sensationalism to attract audience viewers and increase advertising revenue profits. Participants are often placed in e1otic locations or abnormal situations, and are often persuaded to act in specific scripted ways by off,screen 2story editors2 or 2segment television producers2, with the portrayal of events and speech manipulated and contrived to create an illusion of reality through direction and post,production editing techni0ues. A)Trace the orii!" o# rea$it% te$e&i"io! %&'(s ) %&*(s+ 3n the late *4.(s the popularity of elevision amongst westerners meant that 56 and television networ7s had to diversity the ,enres of television they provided to maintain viewer interest/engagement and thus elevision as a popular culture. , Precedents for television that portrayed people in unscripted situations began in the *48(s and became more popular in the late *4.(s. Debuting in *489, Allen -unt.s !ien ca/era Candid Camera show in THE 0NITE1 STATES O- A2ERI3A, (based on his previous *48: radio show, Candid &icrophone+, broadcast unsuspecting ordinary people reacting to pran7s. 3t has been called the 2granddaddy of the reality ! genre2. REALITY43O2E1Y SHOW %&*(s+%&5(s+ &ar7ed the beginning of the 0NS3RI6TE14O7SERVATIONAL 1O30SOA6 in ;ritain and 56$. &any of these docusoaps focused on observing everyday life of children, teenagers and the family unit. <.g. Seven Up! (;ritain, *4)8, produced by =ranada elevision, directed by &ichael $pted+ An American Family (56$, *4:8, produced and directed by Craig =ilbert+ The Family (;ritish, *4:8, produced by Paul >atson+ he t!e/es of the above shows often focused on the factors impacting socialisation and related to the social and cultural concerns of western societies at that time (e.g. changing structure of the family, rising divorce rates, nature/nurture debate, ine0uality and social classes+. %&8(s+%&&(s+ Can be divided into two main types of shows he beginning of unscripted/observational docusoaps in $ustralia# 3n *44' the first local, $ustralian unscripted docusoap called Sylvania Waters was produced by Paul >atson and the $;C/;;C and shown to $ustralian and ;ritish audiences. he show 6ylvania >aters, a documentary television series which followed the lives of an $ustralian family. $ *',part co,production by the $ustralian ;roadcasting Commission ($;C+ and the ;ritish ;roadcasting Corporation (;;C+, the controversial program chronicled the e1istence of couple ?oeline ;a7er and "aurie Donaher and their largely adult offspring. he series too7 its name from the wealthy harbourside suburb in southern 6ydney where ?eoline and "aurie reside. ;illed as a real,life soap opera , 6ylvania >aters was shot over a si1, month period by a camera crew who lived with the Donaher/;a7ers. $ccording to an agreement struc7 with the family,the crew was allowed to film anywhere,at any time ,e1pect when family members were using the bathroom or ma7ing love. >hile $;C publicity for the documentary series emphasised the couple@s new found wealth and lu1urious lifestyle, the tightly edited result ruthlessly scrutinised the entrenched interpersonal conflicts which lay beneath the surface of the blended family@s easygoing facade. "i7e its *4:9 ;ritish prototype, The Family, which brought instant infamy to the >il7ins family of /eading, and the *4:A 5.6. program An American Family ,which chronicled the lives of the "oud family in 6anta ;arbara,California, 6ylvania >aters focused a national microscope on the values and behaviour of the Donaher/;a7er family. ?oeline and "aurie@s unwed status, ?oeline@s drin7ing problem, "aurie@s racism, their materialism, and the family@s routine domestic disputes,all became issuses discussed widely in the $ustralian media. Contributing to SO3IAL AN1 30LT0RAL 3HAN9E$ o view e1cerpts of the show and social commentary surrounding the show please see the following footage# , Sylvania Waters on t!e A73 5$:( Report; %&&< http#//www.youtube.com/watchBvC:6rmPuD"s(EfeatureCmfuFinForderElistC5" + 7yron Hurst criti=uin, Sylvania Waters on t!e A73 5$:( report %&&< http#//www.youtube.com/watchB vC-f''nD3uF((EfeatureCautoplayElistC5":6rmPuD"s(ElfCmfuFinForderEplayne1tC* !ery revealing interview with local &P for 6ylvania >aters, ;yron -urst who is e1pressing concerns over the social and cultural impact of the show (popular culture+ in shaping individuals perception of the suburb and its people. he beginning of formulated docusoaps internationally and in $ustralia# -or/ulate ocusoaps> involve producers artificially altering participants environment G/ interactions, usually in order to increase interest and drama. he construction of formulated docusoaps began in $merica with &!s The Real World in *44'. producers selected seven very different young people, put them up in a ?ew Hor7 apartment for *A wee7s to find out what happens when people stop being polite to each other and start being realB Producers and directors often attempted to artificially manipulate situations and produce drama. he series was hailed in its early years for depicting issues of contemporary young,adulthood relevant to its core audience, such as se1uality, preIudice and substance abuse, but later garnered a reputation as a showcase for immature and irresponsible behavior. Jollowing the original producers death from breast cancer in '((8, ;unim/&urray Productions continues to produce the program. he show@s twenty,fifth season, set in "as !egas, premiered on &arch 4, '(**. he twenty,si1th season, set in 6an Diego, will premiere on 6eptember '9, '(**. he show has been pic7ed up by &! through its '9th season. Jor short e1cepts of the show see# 2TVs Real Worl> T!e 9olen Years http#//www.youtube.com/watchBvC9esggn."1iH his format of formulated docusoaps was adapted in a $ustralian conte1t in %&&8 with 6ydneys &&& (/adio station+ $ndrew Denton and $manda %eller running a radio competition called The House From Hell$ he show too7 ) people, cast purely to create ma1imum friction, and loc7ed them in a house in the 6ydney suburb of ?aremburn for three months paying their rent and living e1penses. 3t was viewed via four internet cameras and contestants were subIected to various restrictions deigned to ma7e them uncomfortable and create conflict. <.g. removing all the furniture and replacing it with childrens furniture, tying the participants together, confiscating all cutlery in the house. >hoever stayed in the house won K.((( priLe from loan company &ortgage Choice. (beginning of in?luence o? @usiness; /arAetin, an4or avertisin,B Jor short e1cepts of the show see# Ten %&&8+ House ?ro/ Hell avert http#//www.youtube.com/watchBvC$ltP)MdiHr8 HO2E RENNOVATION4LI-ESTYLE4 1IY AN1 SEL-+I26ROVE2ENT REALITY SHOWS also began in ;ritain at this time. <.g. Changing Rooms <(((s /eality television saw an eCplosion o? ,lo@al popularity starting in the summer of '(((, with the successes of Big Brother and Survivor (in the 56+. 3n particular, Survivor and American dol have topped the 56 season,average television ratings on several occasions. ;eginning of ,a/e s!o" reality television # 6urvivor led the ratings in '((*N(', and 3dol has topped the ratings si1 consecutive years ('((8N(. through to '((4N*(+. he shows Who !ares Wins" Survivor, the dol series, The Ama#ing Race, the America$s %e&t Top 'odel series, the !ancing With The Stars series, The 'ole" The Biggest (oser" The Apprentice" Fear Factor and Big Brother have all had a global effect, having each been successfully syndicated in doLens of countries. $ccording to Charles Parsons (a maIor innovator of the genre+, the REALITY 9A2E SHOW programs is a -H;/3D GJ JG5/ HP<6 GJ 6-G>6# , /<$"3H DGC56G$P , /<$"3H =$&< 6-G> , <"<&<?6 GJ D/$&$ , /<$"3H $"% 6-G> he above form of reality shows has given $ustralia and the world some of the reality television genres most PGP5"$/ programs and enduring (ongoing+ series. Despite their different emphasis (e.g. drama, game show/talent show, tal7 show etc+ all of these reality series have a few things in common# , 9LO7AL -OR2AT4LO3AL A66EAL. he reality television show genre revolutionalised the way television was bought/sold and transmitted around the world. 5nli7e soapies and dramas such as Home ) A*ay that are e1ported to other countries. /eality ! shows are typically sold in terms of their ?ranc!ise4?or/at rather than a specific show. <.g. Big Brother is shown around the world under various different names Big Brother is a television show in which a group of people live together in a large house, isolated from the outside world but continuously watched by television cameras. <ach series lasts for around three months, and there are usually fewer than *. participants. he housemates try to win a cash priLe by avoiding periodic evictions from the house. he idea for the show is said to have come during a brainstorm session at the Dutch production house of Do!n e 2ol 6rouAties (an independent part of <ndemol+ on 8 6eptember *44:. he first ;ig ;rother broadcast was in the ?etherlands in %&&& on the !eronica ! channel. 3t was pic7ed up by ;raLil, =ermany, $rgentina, Portugal, 56$, 5%, 6pain, ;elgium, 6weden, 6witLerland and 3taly the following year and became a world,wide sensation. 6ince then it has been a pri/e+ti/e !it in al/ost 5( countries. he show@s name comes from =eorge Grwell@s *484 novel ?ineteen <ighty,Jour, a dystopia in which ;ig ;rother can always spy on the inhabitants of the dictatorship he heads through their television sets, with the slogan 2;ig ;rother is watching you.2 ')O(t$i!e the )e&e$o*+e!t" o# rea$it% te$e&i"io! $oca$$%, !atio!a$$% a!) $o-a$$% &any reality television shows have their creative roots in ;ritain and the 56$. Despite their initial creation in these western countries, the format of the shows is fre0uently sold around the world and local persons; society; culture an environ/ent alter the show to ensure that there is local an national "iesprea appeal$ E$,$ Big Brother +Big Bosses, in 3ndia Bigg Boss is a reality show where celebrity contestants stay in a single house for about three months, with no connection to the outside world. hey are overseen by a mysterious person 7nown as @;igg ;oss@, whose only presence in the house is through his voice. >hile all the rules have never been told to the audience, the most prominent ones are clearly seen. he inmates are not per/itte to talA in any ot!er lan,ua,e t!an Hini. hey are not supposed to tamper with any of the electronic e0uipment or any other thing in the -ouse. hey cannot leave the -ouse at any time e1cept when permitted to. hey cannot discuss the nomination process with anyone. o see various social and cultural adaptations follow the lin7 below# 3ele@rities NOT seC on s!o" on 7i, 7osses Ein Inia ECpressB http#//www.e1pressindia.com/news/fullstory.phpBnewsidC:)94. .. ROLE OF /YTHOLO0Y IN THE CREATION AND PERPETUATION OF REALITY TELEVISION 6ee reality television group case studies. Despite the reality tag, many of these shows prime purpose is to entertain and construct a parasocial connection with viewers. his is often achieved through producers and directors deliberately selecting cast,type contestants whilst artificially altering situations in order to increase dramaC interest. Gften the /yt!olo,y of the show being reality is created and maintained by# , '8 hour streaming of the show via internet , filming contestants in $"" situations (e.g. shower, bed etc+ 1. THE CONSU/PTION OF POPULAR CULTURE , i)e!ti#% the co!"(+er" o# rea$it% te$e&i"io! Consumption of reality television varies according to the 6P<C3J3C television series. 6ee group case studies for specific e1amples. , i)e!ti#% the *roce"" o# co!"(+*tio! o# rea$it% te$e&i"io! echnology has dramatically altered the genre of reality television both in HOW the genre has evolved and the INTERA3TIVE ways consumers can gain access to the product. E$,$ ECtract ?ro/ ne"spaper article TE3HNOLO9YF 3a/corers an 63.s S!ape Aest!etics o? .Reality. TV If you think cultural critics are aghast over the social implications of the ''reality'' television crae! listen to "hat camera#"ielding purists have to say a$out the technical %uality of some of the video v&rit& programs no" $eing spe"ed into the nation's living rooms' ''Incredi$ly shoddy production values!'' said Alan Raymond! a co#director of an early version of reality programming: the ()#part ''American Family'' series $roadcast $y P*S in (+,-' .r' Raymond! "ho "ith his "ife! Susan! made that acclaimed and controversial P*S series a$out the real#life /oud family! "as recently coa0ed $y his (1#year#old son into "atching the contemporary reality series ''Surreal /ife'' on 2* net"ork' ''The Surreal /ife!'' "hich has no" run its course! monitored a group of past#their#prime cele$rities "ho shared a house for (3 days' 2atching the sho"! .r' Raymond cared little a$out a$out "hether the group could help *rande Roderick! a desperate and dateless former Playmate of the 4ear! find a suita$le man' Instead! .r' Raymond found himself fascinated $y "hat he considered the lo"#rent "ay the sho" "as made' ''I s"ore that half of it "as shot "ith camera sound! not a separate sound mike!'' .r' Raymond said' ''I said to myself! '5o" cheap this is6 ho" amaing that it's $ecome accepta$le that people "ill "atch it'' It's almost like the content supersedes everything to do "ith the artistry of the making of the sho"''' *ut may$e his (1#year#old son! "ho edits his o"n short films on a laptop computer! sa" something that .r' Raymond! an Academy A"ard#"inning film documentarian no" in his 73's! did not' T"o decades into the home#video era! the idea of $eing on television and shooting television has $ecome second nature to an entire generation of vie"ers' That may help e0plain not only the pool of people "illing to $e televised under any num$er of potentially humiliating circumstances! $ut also the standing army of videographers ready to capture it all on tape' The technology of shooting and editing video has $ecome so afforda$le and accessi$le that it almost seems as if anyone on the street can make a television sho" these days' That may $e "hy! in the vie" of the auteurs! anyone on the street is making television sho"s these days' , e2a+i!e the ro$e o# the +e)ia i! the co!"(+*tio! a!) i!teractio! he mass media (newspapers, radio, television, internet etc+ can have ;G- a 6OSITIVE ) NE9ATIVE impact on the perpetuation of reality television as a popular culture (consumption and interaction+. 6OSITIVE I26A3TS> + Television> as a form of mass media is crucial to the direct transmission of reality television to consumers. + Internet> he internet is enabling people to view their favorite reality television programs online, on demand (and now with mobile phone technology $?H>-</<O+ he internet also increases the e1posure of individuals to associated paraphernalia and consumer products. he internet has also enabled individuals and groups to transmit their own reality to a mass audience. <.g. you tube NE9ATIVE I26A3TS> + Ne"spapers; Television an Raio> ;ecome a platform to voice public criticism and outrage at a particular show or reality ! series. <g. 7i, 7rot!er 0G Race controversy 6ince its beginning in '(((, the concept and implementation of 5% edition of the reality game show ;ig ;rother has regularly been the subIect of controversy and criticism among the ;ritish public and news media. here have been various investigations by numerous organisations, including ! watchdogs and the police. he Celebrity ;ig ;rother racism controversy was a series of events related to incidents of perceived racist behaviour by contestants on the television series Celebrity ;ig ;rother '((: shown on ;ritish television station Channel 8. he incidents centred on comments made by contestants on this reality television show, most notably ;ig ;rother contestant Pade =oody, glamour model Danielle "loyd, and singer Po G@&eara, which were directed towards 3ndian actress 6hilpa 6hetty. he screening of t!ese co//ents on 0G television resulte in national an international /eia covera,e; responses ?ro/ t!e 0G an Inian ,overn/ents; an t!e s!o".s suspension urin, t!e <((8 season$ &any agencies and corporations cancelled their contracts with the housemates accused of racism, citing the allegations as the reason for the terminations. $lso, many sponsors of the ;ig ;rother series cancelled or suspended their sponsorship of the show. $fter the show, =oody stated that she understood her comments appeared as racist and apologised for any offence caused. 6hetty later told the media that she forgave =oody. $fter conducting an investigation, Gfcom ruled that Channel 8 had breached the Gfcom code of conduct, and statutory sanctions were placed on the networ7. he accusations began when Pade =oody@s mother, Pac7iey ;udden, repeatedly referred to 6hetty as 2the 3ndian2 while she was on the show because, according to her, she was unable to pronounce her name. -owever, during her eviction interview, hostess Davina &cCall coerced Pac7iey into saying 26hilpa2 and Pac7iey pronounced it properly. $fter ;uddens eviction, =oody@s boyfriend Pac7 weed called 6hetty an e1pletive, with the bleeped,out e1pletive variously reported as 2QQQQ2 and 2Pa7i2 who should remove obIects from the toilet with her teeth. &any of the accusations were centred on conversations between Danielle "loyd and Po G@&eara. Gn one occasion, the two women moc7ed 6hetty@s accent, and on another occasion "loyd referred to 6hetty as a 2dog2. $fter believing 6hilpa had undercoo7ed a chic7en, G@&eara generalised that all 3ndians were thin because they were 2sic7 all the time2 as a result of undercoo7ing their food. "loyd commented on 6hetty applying facial hair bleaching cream, saying, 2she@s trying to ma7e her face loo7 white2 while G@&eara moc7ed 6hetty@s accent, saying, 2Goh 3 got a hairy face.2 3n another verbal attac7, "loyd said 2do you get stubbleB2. Pade, Danielle and Po repeatedly stated, to each other and the other housemates, that they felt 6hilpa was a @fa7e@ and a @loser@.
$fter an argument between 6hetty and =oody, witnessed by a giggling G@&eara and "loyd, "loyd said she thought 6hetty should 2fQQQ off home2. $fter a similar comment by =oody, "loyd laughed and approved saying, 2hat was fuc7ing fantastic, 3 loved it2 before repeating 23 thin7 she should fQQQoff home.2 6he also said 6hilpa 2can@t even spea7 <nglish properly anyway2. 6he also mentioned that she didn@t li7e 6hetty touching her food because 2you don@t 7now where her hands have been2. he ne1t morning, "loyd spo7e to 6hetty about the situation, but did not apologise. During the conversation in the bedroom, =oody entered, sat in front of "loyd, bloc7ing out 6hetty, and began doing ma7eup. $s 6hetty left, "loyd told =oody that she 2tried apologising to her2. "ater "loyd said to 6hetty, 23 feel really bad, 3 feel disgusted with myself the way 3@ve treated you and the way 3@ve acted, because 3@m not li7e that, 6hilpa, really, . . . $nd you can even coo7 me curry and you can pic7 the onions out with your fingers2. =oody referred to 6hetty as, @6hilpa Daroopa@ and @6hilpa Papadum@. 6he later insisted that she had done this with no intention of racism. 6he later apologised if her actions had offended anybody. $fter =oody apologised to 6hetty for her behaviour, weed stated that he was very disappointed with =oody for apologising, and called 6hetty a 2dic72 after previously describing her as a 2wan7er2. ;y '( Panuary, Gfcom received 88,.(( complaints from members of the public, while Channel 8 received an additional A,((( complaints about racism and bullying by housemates against 6hilpa. Channel 8 initially described the situation as 2girly rivalry2, but later admitted there had 2undoubtedly been a cultural clash between her and three of the ;ritish females in the house2.Channel 8 continued to air moments of racism on their show, stating that the social dynamics of the housemates are part of the story and viewers had the right to see the events portrayed as accurately as possible.
!arious media outlets initially characterised the issue as @girlish rivalry@ but later blamed it on bullying and racism. $s time progressed, the maIority of media coverage of Pade became negative, although accusations of racism were superseded by those of bullying. $n editorial published by he Daily &irror on *9 Panuary '((: called @;eauty v ;igot@, deplored what they referred to as 2disgraceful racist bullying of ;ig ;rother@s 6hilpa 6hetty2, and criticised Channel 8 management for maintaining that there was not a racial element to the bullying. he ;ritish tabloids mostly concentrated on the comments made by Pade, rather than those made by Pac7, Danielle and Po and the bullying from them. Jor instance, when Pade and 6hilpa were arguing over G1o cubes, 6hilpa pleaded with Po for assistance by saying RPo, 3 mean, are you going to say something here what is happening hereBS , to which Po responded by bursting out laughing. Permaine Pac7son, another housemate witnessing the situation, later said, 2>hen all this was going on 3 saw Danielle and Po laughing and then branded them as @the allies@2. he controversy generated over A(( newspaper articles in ;ritain, *,'(( in <nglish language newspapers around the globe, A,4(( foreign language news articles, and '',((( blog postings on the internet. !anni reves, Channel 8@s former Chairman, urged the station to cancel the show even though ;ig ;rother was Channel 8@s most financially successful television programme, accounting for around seven per cent of its total T9(( million advertising income. -owever Celebrity ;ig ;rother was suspended on '8 $ugust '((:. PART II 3i$$ -e ha!)e) o(t !e2t $e""o! (a!) a&ai$a-$e o! the 3i4i) a!) a))re"" -("i!e"", +ar4eti!, co!tro$, acce*ta!ce, re5ectio! a!) "ocia$ cha!e 6. CONSIDER THE ROLE OF TECHNOLO0Y IN THE INTERACTIVE PROCESS 7. E8A/INE THE INFLUENCE OF 'USINESS, /AR9ETIN0 AND/OR ADVERTISIN0 >riters for reality television do not receive union pay,scale compensation (award wages+ and union representation, which significantly decreases e1penditures for producers and broadcasters. &any of the actors in reality television are compensated for their appearances.
6rouct place/ent; whereby companies and corporations pay to have their products included in television programming for mar7eting purposes is highly prevalent in reality television.
he following is a list of television shows with the most instances of product placement (**/(:N**/(9U ?ielsen &edia /esearch <ight out of the ten are reality television shows. he ;iggest "oser ),'89 products $merican 3dol, 8,)A) products <1treme &a7eover# -ome <dition@, A,A:* $merica@s oughest Pobs, ',9(: Deal or ?o Deal, ','4' $merica@s ?e1t op &odel, ','8* "ast Comic 6tanding, *,44A %itchen ?ightmares *,9.A -ell@s %itchen, *,9(: 6ee the following newspaper articles for J$?$63C 6P<C3J3C e1amples of the influence of business and mar7eting# + 6rouct 6lace/ent> T!e reality o? reality television (news.com.au+ http#//www.news.com.au/entertainment/television/product,placement,the,reality,of,reality,tv/story, e)frfmyi,*'')**9(A(4:4 + 6rouct 6lace/ent in Reality Television> An Investi,ation o? Auience Ienti?ication an 6ro,ra/ 3rei@ility (5niversity of $delaide Pournal article+ http#//digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/'88(/)8**A/'/('main.pdf :. THE CONTROL OF REALITY TELEVISION , I)e!ti#% the "ta4eho$)er" i! the CONROL o# *o*($ar c($t(re /EDIA; 0ROUPS; 0OVERN/ENTS; FA/ILY; PEERS; , Co!"i)er the ro$e o# o##icia$ a!) (!o##icia$ ce!"or"hi* (PO<ER = AUTHORITY) >. DIFFERENT PERCEPTIONS OF POPULAR CULTURE , i)e!ti#% the re"i"ta!ce to *o*($ar c($t(re a!) i!tro)(ce e2a+*$e" , co!"i)er the ACCEPTANCE AND RE?ECTION o# rea$it% te$e&i"io! @. THE CONTRI'UTION OF POPULAR CULTURE TO SOCIAL CHAN0E , I)e!ti#% the POSITIVE = NE0ATIVE a"*ect" o# *o*($ar c($t(re that ha&e -eco+e *art o# "ociet% , I)e!ti#% 3a%" i! 3hich Area$it% te$e&i"io!B +a% ha&e co!tri-(te) to SOCIAL CHAN0E (co!"i)er "ociet% a!) c($t(re #(!)a+e!ta$ co!ce*t")