Reality television is becoming a popular source of entertainment among students.
“I like watching reality television because it makes me feel better about myself,” Mykaela Logan, junior, said. “I watch Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Love on the Spectrum, Jersey Shore, Love and Hip Hop Atlanta, and The Kardashians.
Another student said something similar.
“I watch reality television for the drama,” Abigail Custer, junior, said. “I watch Kim of Queens and Dance Moms.”
Not everyone feels the same way.
“I don’t watch reality television because it’s a weird middle ground between the real reality and fictional television shows,” Neil Barker, sophomore, said. “I feel like it’s not as real and pure as the true reality, at the same time; it’s not as well made and fascinating as fictional television.”
Some students think that reality television is falsified or staged and that negates their viewing experience.
“If the show seems too fake, and I can tell, I’ll stop watching it because it ruins the show,” Logan said. “Reality television depicts a false reality by exaggerating the truth and making it more entertaining.”
One student isn’t affected by falsities in reality television.
“I don’t take it that seriously because I watch just for fun,” Peyton Owen, junior, said. “For example, the Savannah Bananas definitely have some staged moments, but that doesn’t make them any less fun to watch.”
Another student does not feel the same way.
“I stray away from watching reality television because it’s most likely falsified in order to enhance the viewing experience,” Barker said. “Parts of the show like the plot lines feel very forced and they don’t come off smooth or like actual reality.”
