Brief Seven: Exploiting a News Story

 Are reality television shows exploiting people?

Reality television shows fall under a genre of television that documents "purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unknown people rather than professional actors". 

These shows have become a large part of our society today, providing countless hours of entertainment to Americans across the country. 

But even though these shows receive an overwhelming amount of views, the genre itself has received major backlash recently, for its exploitation of the stars of the shows. 

As I previously stated, one of the appeals of reality television shows is the unique look into the lives of "regular people" rather than celebrities or professional actors. While Keeping Up With the Kardashians is an obvious exception, most reality TV shows follow the lives of people with less than glamorous lives.

Reality TV shows such as Sixteen and Pregnant, My 600 Lb. Life, Dance Moms, Teen Mom and 90 Day Fiancé are known for their outrageous portrayals of the people appearing on the shows, giving dramatic ideas of people (specifically women) to the media.

These shows are produced by either MTV (16 and Pregnant) or TLC, both major producers of reality television shows, extending from this list. 

Several of these shows produced by MTV and TLC have received backlash for the allegations of exploitation of the stars of the show. These allegations and accusations have extended from shows that showcase people in the midst of difficult times in their lives. 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom are some of the most prominent examples of these, as the show creates a controversial atmosphere for young girls who are showcasing the most private moments in their lives. 

While many people argue reality television shows are not exploiting their stars because the shows simply "follow the daily lives of real people". This argument is constantly rebutted because although this genre includes the word "reality", for the sake of entertainment, the shows are set up in a realistic manner to draw in viewers. But the actual truth behind these shows demonstrates a sense of reality, rather than the full story. 

Reality tv shows have a reputation for displaying their subjects from an overly dramatic point of view and emphasizing the aggressive and oppressive behavior of the stars. Because of this dramatic amplification of their lives, the shows receive an overwhelming response of interest. 

While dramatic moments like the ones featured in this YouTube video seem to be real, most are scripted moments used to attract viewers to the show. Young moms featured in this show have received criticism online and within tabloids, following them throughout their journey. These shows are changing the outlook on the issue of teen pregnancy and transforming the outlook of their situations for entertainment.

These reality tv shows create incorrect ideas about people's lives, subjecting them to ridicule for the rest of their lives. Several girls featured in past seasons of the show have released statements about how the harsh connotations of reality tv shows have changed their lives. 

The argument stands whether these shows are promotions of safe sex or just an excuse to exploit young girls. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Indiana Bloomington revealed that fans of 'Sixteen and Pregnant' believed that the life of a teen mom was "enviable". These false pretenses of teen pregnancy and the exploitations of teenage girls in the most intense moments of their lives is an example of the constant unreal connotations that reality tv shows capitalize on.