Is Reality TV Bad for Society

The genre has made a name for itself by featuring dangerous stunts, deranged participants and outrageous displays of conduct, but is reality TV bad for society?

It depends who you ask.

If you asked 100 TV critics: Is reality TV bad for society, more than half would respond with a resounding "yes." In fact, some media critics and child advocacy groups have gone as far as to describe reality television as "Gutter TV" and "Humiliation TV." In addition, it seems as though each week brings a new study detailing the negative impact reality TV has on society.

There are many who vehemently oppose the genre claiming that reality TV shows are rooted in immorality. They believe that the genre reflects a culture that worships vanity and wealth, rather than virtue and humility. Basically, critics believe that reality TV mirrors what our society has become—a community of materialistic morons who don’t blink twice about running around naked while swallowing live cockroaches if it means winning a cool million for doing so.

While it may come as a surprise to some, there are some who believe that reality TV is good for society. In fact, a group of esteemed writers from TIME magazine once declared that reality TV shows were “the best thing to happen to television in several years.” They and others, who embrace the genre, maintain that reality TV has brought excitement back to the airwaves. In addition, proponents of reality TV say the shows capture the human spirit in a way sitcoms and dramas can’t and don’t.

In regards to the genre’s practice of depicting immoral behavior, critics who support reality TV say, the argument is negated. The reason: the same sexist and sick behavior seen on popular reality TV shows such as MTV’s Real World and The Bachelor can also be found on mainstream dramas like The Sopranos, only there it’s referred to as “nuanced storytelling.”

Loyal viewers and some TV critics are not the only ones who support reality TV. A well-known parents' watchdog group recently released a report saying that it considered some reality TV shows to be among the best things for kids to watch.

The Parents Television Council recently unveiled its picks for the "Best of Reality TV". The group says it looked for shows that illustrated positive values and wholesome content.

Topping the list were:

• American Idol

• Dancing with the Stars

• So You Think You Can Dance

• Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

• America’s Got Talent

• Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader

When it comes to seedy reality TV shows the following series consistently rank as some of the worst ever aired:

When it comes to horrible reality shows this one is near the top. The series followed four unmarried couples on an island where various temptations were thrown at them in an effort to lure them from their existing relationships.

The show centered on a Missouri farmer looking for love among 10 city girls. The female who could impress the farmer with her undying love for him and country living was crowned the champ.

A number of TV critics deemed the show “morally reprehensible,” and the ratings were no picnic either. Contestants on The Swan underwent life-changing alterations in an effort to be seen as “beautiful” in society’s eyes. There was plastic surgery and other medical improvements galore. In the end, the contestants were unrecognizable... and not in a good way.

The following reality TV shows bombed so badly it’s no wonder they only appeared on the small screen for a single season:

Pretty school teacher Randi Coy agreed to go along with a fake wedding to her irritating and slobbish fiancé Steve (who was really an actor) to snag a $500,000 prize. In addition, Randi’s unsuspecting family members were rewarded with $100,000 each for biting their tongues and allowing the farce to unfold.

Loathed for its sheer ridiculousness, Armed and Famous recruited D-list celebrities such as LaToya Jackson, Jack Osbourne and Erik Estrada to pose as cops in Muncie, Indiana. The show actually was slapped with several real lawsuits. A woman who claimed her home was wrongfully entered by Jackson and Osbourne in a botched sting operation filed one of the suits while the others came from additional unsuspecting victims of the wannabe cops.

The question may result in differing responses; however, the passion that both proponents and opponents display in voicing their respective viewpoints is undeniably similar.

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