The popularity of reality television amongst teen and
pre-teen girls is ever increasing. Shows such as Jersey Shore, Next Top Model,
and Big Brother
keep bursting onto the small screen, and it seems few girls are immune to their
power, much to the despair of parents and teachers. Even Barack Obama’s daughters
are not immune to the sensation, as the author of the article ‘Should
the Obama kids be allowed to watch the Kardashians?’ points out.
Whilst this article is very much a gossip piece, which is highlighted by the apparent
lack of authorship, it does contain some interesting points, especially if one
looks beyond the unnecessary political undertones.
This article discusses the contrasting viewpoints of Barack
Obama and his wife Michelle regarding the television viewing choices of their
daughters. The President, it seems, is not a fan of the reality show ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’,
and would prefer that his daughters did not watch. On the other hand, his wife Michelle
prefers to take a more proactive approach to the subject of reality television.
She watches the show with her daughters and uses it as an opportunity to
discuss the messages that the show is portraying. Inadvertently or not, it
seems that Michelle Obama has taken some cues from the premise of media
literacy in her approach to the situation. Through questioning and discussion,
she is encouraging her children to be critical viewers and analyse the shows
they are watching.
History has shown us that children, especially teenagers,
revel in disobeying their parents. We all know that if you tell a child they
cannot do something they are likely to find ways to do it anyway. Instead of
banning children from watching reality television shows, parents and/or
educators can use the opportunity to encourage and teach children to be
critical viewers of these programs. This proactive approach to reality
television is likely to benefit children and parents alike as it encourages
active involvement in becoming a more media literate society.
Image
Keeping up with the Kardashians.
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Your post about the impacts of popular of reality TV is so very timely and it is interesting to note that even the President of America is not immune to the issues it raises for parents and educators alike. Mankind has always wanted to peer into the lives of other people. Louis XIV of France had such a defined and public daily ritual that it was said that courtiers could set their clocks by it. The accessibility of television as a medium to air reality TV poses more ethical problems in today’s world. How much is too much? How much is really ‘real’ and how much is scripted? What timeslots are acceptable for different types of reality TV programs? Other ethical considerations such as fairness, entrapment and privacy issues surround reality TV, and are at the forefront of most debates raised over their appropriateness (Hill, 2005). I have participated in a workshop recently involving online forums, co-incidentally, one which focussed on a discussion about a particular Reality TV show. One of the more interesting questions to gain response about ethics and pros and cons from participants was: ‘Would you participate in a Reality TV program if you had the chance? Why or Why Not? ‘.These ethical questions can form the basis for student learning in analysis of this form of entertainment, along with reading of supplementary media such as online blogs and forums linked to the reality TV show in question.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Hill, A. (2005). Reality TV: Audiences and popular factual television. London, Routledge.