The Hidden Abuse of Reality Show Contestants

[steven johnson]

What a shock -- reality programs are manipulated to create greater dramatic tension.

Long workdays and communication blackouts are largely the rule for contestants on reality shows, a highly lucrative genre that has evolved arguably into Hollywood’s sweatshop. Unscripted series now account for more than one-quarter of all primetime broadcast programming — and essentially the entire day on cable channels like Discovery, Bravo and A&E. The most popular reality series, “American Idol,” has commanded advertising rates as high as $1 million for a 30-second spot.

It can make for a miserable experience but compelling entertainment, creating a sort of televised psychological experiment that keeps contestants off-balance and vulnerable.

Most reality series have contestants sign nondisclosure agreements that include million-dollar penalties if they reveal what happened on set. But interviews with two dozen former contestants — most of whose agreements expired after three years — from half a dozen reality series suggest that the programs routinely use isolation, sleeplessness and alcohol to encourage wild behavior.

"The bread and butter of reality television is to get people into a state where they are tired, stressed and emotionally vulnerable,” said Mark Andrejevic, an associate professor of communications studies at the University of Iowa and the author of "Reality TV: The Work of Being Watched. That helps make them more amenable to the goals of the producers and more easily manipulated."

TV Contestants: Tired, Tipsy and Pushed to Brink

[MineralMan]

1. Oh, dear....how sad for them...

Bwahahaha!

[izquierdista]

2. If these producers had time travel

I'll bet the first place they would take their cameras would be Auschwitz. Just think of all the tired, stressed and emotionally vulnerable they could find there!

[Skittles]

3. I'm disgusted by reality shows AND their fans

:puke:

[global1]

4. Are Reality Show Producers Bound By The Geneva Convention?.........

sounds like torture to me.

[NashVegas]

5. Why Should They Be Treated Any Differently From Actors?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. "Reality" shows: Another part of the commercial media's efforts

to dumb us all down so that we become even more passive audiences for commercials.

[ScottLand]

7. I've always thought they were scripted

or at least manipulated in some way. It falls under the category of "Entertainment" - the producers aren't really compelled to make it actual reality. Even game shows are probably manipulated the same way. The last thing they want is to present a boring show. If that means guiding it, so be it.

[keroro gunsou]

9. reality... bah!

if the real world was the real world on mtv, they'd have at least ONE average-looking computer/gamer/sci-fi/anime geek on the show.

[cbdo2007]

8. Wow it's too bad so many people are forced to be on these reality shows.

Maybe congress should take this up in their next session. (sarcasm)

It's people's choice to be on reality shows. They know the time it takes and they must think it's worth it or they would quit. I wouldn't exactly call it a "sweatshop" as that couldn't be any more degrading to little kids who are FORCED to work in *real* sweatshops around the world.

Many of the contestants are paid very well and it opens up doors to future employment opportunities in the future. There are a lot of people to feel sorry for in the world and I must say that Reality show contestants are pretty far down on the list.