The issue doesn't come up too often. However, as a youth myself, I see how reality TV is affecting both myself and other youths around me. First it was 'Survivor', then 'Temptation Island', then the madness began to increase, as Joe Millionaire popped up, and the Bachelorette made her final pick. According to the ratings, millions of viewers stared intently at the TV to watch the final result of all these shows, or as they are labelled "Reality TV." But think about it, how "real" are these shows? It is important that youths realize that dating 25 people at a time, or lying to women about one's financial status is not the real world, and that's not how people really find their true love!

But why is it that these reality shows have become such a big part of our lives all of a sudden? It's intriguing to watch someone else's life. Tuning into 'Big Brother' and 'Survivor' to see other people's lives may just be what we need to take a break from ourselves. In a way these reality TV shows are the modern soap opera. They capture and hook viewers, as we watch people's lives unfold.

It's obvious that teens clearly enjoy watching these shows when more than 36 million viewers tuned in to watch the finale of 'Survivor' as stated by E!Online ratings. Considering that teens watch 14 hours of TV a week according to Statistics Canada, it's safe to say that a lot of teens are tuning into these reality shows. So instead of reading a book, doing homework or just going outside for some fresh air, teens are inside watching unwashed, half starved people win a million dollars.

When I talked to some teenagers who watch reality TV shows, most think that it's a waste of time. It's a cheap way to make a TV show. You don't have to pay actors or writers. " They cancel good shows to put on this garbage. It's hardly reality," said one. The show is edited over and over again, so the producers can get across what they want to, what they feel the audience should see. With the editing that is done, a person can seem like a whole different person, and is perceived differently, according to what is selected in and out of the show. "The people in the show do not actually portray who they really are outside of the show. So how can this be reality? " Another youth says: "The shows waste TV space that could be used for actual shows that I enjoy." As much as people disagree with the shows, it's hard to get away from all the hype. I hear people talking about the shows all the time.

Reality TV will be around for a while, yet at the rate they're coming up, youths are going to get sick of watching the same thing over and over, and eventually "Survivor" will disappear into thin air like so many of it's contestants!

 

 

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