18th Annual Student Research Conference
Language & Literature
Reality TV:
Exploring Television’s Latest Epidemic
Eleanor C. Amann
Dr. Karon Speckman, Faculty Mentor
“The tribe has spoken” and other familiar phrases echo throughout the homes of America as reality TV becomes more popular than ever. Suddenly, last night’s decision by “The Bachelor” has overtaken dinner conversations around the country. There are no limits to the extreme environments in which participants are placed as program producers blend fact and fiction. This research explores the ethics of reality television through explanation of its worthiness as a subject matter, discussion of the behavior and power of production companies, and illustration of examples from specific shows. Applying various ethical justification systems, including Bok’s definition of lying, this research supports the claim of reality television as deceptive and dishonest to its public.
Keywords: reality TV, television, deceptive, dishonest, intentional, lying
Topic(s):Communication
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 39-4
Location: VH 1320
Time: 3:00