Channel4 Big Brother - Why Do We Love to Watch?

Are we just unashamed voyeurs? Also we can ask if shows like Temptation Island, etc reflect actual reality? Another question is, are we just wasting our precious leisure time watching rubbish, or is there something to be gained from such shows. In this article I will attempt to answer these questions. There are many studies and articles written on this subject, so these questions must be relevant.

Are Reality Shows 'Real'? - No, not really. They are actually very controlled and contrived. In Big Brother the contestants are virtually imprisoned and live totally under the rules if they want to stay in the house. Once they are in the house they are continually manipulated and often provoked to produce some kind of reaction.This for most of us is very far from real life.

This Years Channel4 Big Brother has put sixteen people together, who had assumed they were to be housemates from the start. It came as a shock for them to discover they had to earn housemate status, by performing different tasks. From the off then, both the contestant and the viewer have their expectations of the show shattered. The 'reality' they had come to expect was reconstructed to give an interesting twist..

The Myths - About Why People Watch Reality TV Shows - There are several myths as to why people love to view television shows that take ordinary people, and pit them against each other in front of the camera:


One myth is that the viewers are less intelligent than other people and are easily pleased. However a survey carried out by Dr Steven Reiss and Jane Witz showed that people who are devoted to shows like Channel4 Big Brother are just as interested in intellectual pursuits as non-fans.*
Another myth is that people watch reality tv, so they have a shared interest with their friends and family. The Weiss study showed that non-fans were just as sociable as fans.*
With shows such as Temptation Island where couples cheated on each other, there is the myth that people switch on just to see illicit sex. However when the program turned out to be much tamer than promised, the ratings did not fall. *

The Reasons Why We Do Watch Reality TV -


One drawing factor is the fact that such shows are usually competitive. The Reiss study showed that poeple do like to watch people competing, forming alliances, and see betrayal and revenge as valid attributes.*
Status is another factor - people strive to achieve status or prestige in life, and the fact that someone ordinary can become a celebrity, is encouraging to viewers. They have a - 'If they can do it, then so can I' -mentality.*

Why Waste Your Precious Time - watching shows like Channel4 Big Brother? Do We Learn Anything?


These days the emphasis seems to be on celebrity status, rather than possessing talent or skills. For our viewing purposes, this would seem to lower the quality of the shows we watch. So why do we watch?
It seems that the fact that you dont really need any talent to get on the telly, is a plus for viewers! This is because we can identify with the contestants, and it provides a context to judge our own lives by.**
Also these shows allow us to vote and show our approval or disapproval of certain behaviours. This gives us some control, and makes reality watching more interactive.**

References:
*Psychologytoday.com - article by Steven Reiss and Jane Witz
**MPRcenter.org - The Media Psychology Blog - Dr Pam Routledge

Is Watching Reality TV - Pure Voyeurism?

Personally for myself and probably lots of others, yes it is. I love to watch people being stupid, arguing, becoming friends or lovers. Watching interactions between contestants is good fun, and often very funny!

For the best contestant biopics for Channel4 Big Brother go to http://www.squidoo.com/channel4-big-brother

To get the latest and hottest C4 Big Brother news, updated daily go to http://www.squidoo.com/c4-big-brother

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