Sunday, 7 December 2008
Friday, 5 December 2008
Talented reality television stars-Kyal Marsh (Cirque de Celeb winner)
"I took part in Cirque de Celeb because I love physical training and challenges. The producers who approached me made it sound like a whole lot of fun and it was.
I would definitely do it again. Reality TV is not my favorite thing on television, I have to admit, but to actually be in it yourself is a lot of fun. I would never do X Factor... purely because I can't sing or dance, I wouldn't mind doing something like the amazing race or great race? I can't remember what its called....
Reality TV like any other production can have its down sides. I found the production dragged on (three months) and that you rarely got a chance to relax because unlike normal television productions, you were aways being watched and filmed in your "natural state"... sounds a bit like a David Attenborough documentary doesn't it?"
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
The fall of reality television??A dying breed?
In a recent survey on website ask 500 people the majority of the public worldwide said that they did not like reality television and most people who I interviewed were also in consensus- they did not watch reality television or if they did watch it included talented contestants.
However, Big Brother, which most of my interviewees admitted to not watching, included talented contestants this year in order to attract viewers. Amongst the contestants there was a racing driver, artist, circus performer, entrepreneur, boxer and classical musician. This was Big Brother's attempt at change after last year's Celebrity Big Brother racism controversy (click for Dipity story). However as the side bar reveals, this year's Big Brother was more unpopular than ever showing that talent does not have anything to do with it.
Adam Hosker from the Apprentice believes that talent does affect a television show's success. Click here to see my interview with him and hear his opinions on reality television.
The lure of reality television to producers is evident. It is cheap, there are no actors to fund, no scripts or rehearsals and minimum props which lack extravagance. Whereas a television drama can cost up to one million pounds, reality television is cheap and can cost as little as £114,000. Extra money is also generated through advertisements.A 30 second advertising spot during Big Brother Three cost £40,000, over three times more than any other show on Channel four.
Is reality television beginning to lose its sparkle? Or are people just too embarrassed to admit that they watch it? This blog illustrates some of the excuses these American mums use to disguise their obsession with reality television to their husbands. One confessed to excusing her love of My Super Sweet Sixteenth by telling her husband watching it was research for her job as a YA fiction writer-but she admits "I really just like them."
Why is it classed as "uncool" to watch reality television? Could it be that the surprise and naivety of the game is what fuelled the public fascination in the first place? The first Big Brother (2000) did not include twenty-four-hour footage like that on E4 today. Although afterwards housemates complained that editors had moulded them into certain typecasts by the clips they selected, on the plus side what happened on the evening show was fresh stuff which had not been reported in the papers. Adam Hosker also claimed television producers did this on the Apprentice. Channel four exposed the cheat, Nick Bateman , and expelled him from the house.Everything was under control, everything was fair, or so it seemed.
The rules were much clearer and the house mates had no idea of the fame or attention they would receive when they came out, thus, they did not play up to the cameras. This is evident from Nick Bateman's cheating- he actually forgot about the cameras and thought he could get away with influencing housemates to vote the way he wanted them to.
No contact with the outside world meant no contact with the outside world- and the option of spending the week's shopping budget on a magazine was not an option.
The cheers and support on the first Big Brother eviction night are depressingly different from the bad spirited booing which is so common in more recent evictions-sometimes even when it is the winner who is coming out.As a result some contestants have decided after a few weeks to take the back entrance and leave early in order to avoid the public humiliation of the booing mob. This sort of patronising, Z-list fame is not for them.
It was a rarity for housemates to leave in the first few Big Brothers and even the most memorable contestants, who gained fame, have managed to slide back into a relatively normal life. Sada from BB1 has managed to keep a low profile apparently working in a bistro somewhere in London. Whilst a friend informed me that her hairdresser Helen, who was in Big Brother Two, is barely recognizable as a reality television star. The more the Big Brother's progress the more outrageous the contestants become, merely applying to get a blink of low-rate fame. Contestants like Jade Goody are the type of people who reflect badly on the show. It is for people like her that the term "Z-list" has been coined.
Definition of Z-List in the Urban Dictionary:
"1. An annoying ex-reality tv star that manged to get everywhere on TV."
Diana Vickers says that sometimes she has regrets about being in X Factor. The scrutiny of the media and public is putting contestants off competing altogether
X Factor and I'm a Celebrity may be doing well at the moment but how long until they follow in the shoes of the (once thought to be) indestructible Big Brother?
More importantly what tricks have Channel four got in store for encouraging people to watch Big Brother Ten and what will Simon Cowell do to save X Factor heading the same way? Perhaps there is no answer...Cowell is reported to be leaving X Factor after this year.
However, Big Brother, which most of my interviewees admitted to not watching, included talented contestants this year in order to attract viewers. Amongst the contestants there was a racing driver, artist, circus performer, entrepreneur, boxer and classical musician. This was Big Brother's attempt at change after last year's Celebrity Big Brother racism controversy (click for Dipity story). However as the side bar reveals, this year's Big Brother was more unpopular than ever showing that talent does not have anything to do with it.
Adam Hosker from the Apprentice believes that talent does affect a television show's success. Click here to see my interview with him and hear his opinions on reality television.
The lure of reality television to producers is evident. It is cheap, there are no actors to fund, no scripts or rehearsals and minimum props which lack extravagance. Whereas a television drama can cost up to one million pounds, reality television is cheap and can cost as little as £114,000. Extra money is also generated through advertisements.A 30 second advertising spot during Big Brother Three cost £40,000, over three times more than any other show on Channel four.
Is reality television beginning to lose its sparkle? Or are people just too embarrassed to admit that they watch it? This blog illustrates some of the excuses these American mums use to disguise their obsession with reality television to their husbands. One confessed to excusing her love of My Super Sweet Sixteenth by telling her husband watching it was research for her job as a YA fiction writer-but she admits "I really just like them."
Why is it classed as "uncool" to watch reality television? Could it be that the surprise and naivety of the game is what fuelled the public fascination in the first place? The first Big Brother (2000) did not include twenty-four-hour footage like that on E4 today. Although afterwards housemates complained that editors had moulded them into certain typecasts by the clips they selected, on the plus side what happened on the evening show was fresh stuff which had not been reported in the papers. Adam Hosker also claimed television producers did this on the Apprentice. Channel four exposed the cheat, Nick Bateman , and expelled him from the house.Everything was under control, everything was fair, or so it seemed.
The rules were much clearer and the house mates had no idea of the fame or attention they would receive when they came out, thus, they did not play up to the cameras. This is evident from Nick Bateman's cheating- he actually forgot about the cameras and thought he could get away with influencing housemates to vote the way he wanted them to.
No contact with the outside world meant no contact with the outside world- and the option of spending the week's shopping budget on a magazine was not an option.
The cheers and support on the first Big Brother eviction night are depressingly different from the bad spirited booing which is so common in more recent evictions-sometimes even when it is the winner who is coming out.As a result some contestants have decided after a few weeks to take the back entrance and leave early in order to avoid the public humiliation of the booing mob. This sort of patronising, Z-list fame is not for them.
It was a rarity for housemates to leave in the first few Big Brothers and even the most memorable contestants, who gained fame, have managed to slide back into a relatively normal life. Sada from BB1 has managed to keep a low profile apparently working in a bistro somewhere in London. Whilst a friend informed me that her hairdresser Helen, who was in Big Brother Two, is barely recognizable as a reality television star. The more the Big Brother's progress the more outrageous the contestants become, merely applying to get a blink of low-rate fame. Contestants like Jade Goody are the type of people who reflect badly on the show. It is for people like her that the term "Z-list" has been coined.
Definition of Z-List in the Urban Dictionary:
"1. An annoying ex-reality tv star that manged to get everywhere on TV."
Diana Vickers says that sometimes she has regrets about being in X Factor. The scrutiny of the media and public is putting contestants off competing altogether
X Factor and I'm a Celebrity may be doing well at the moment but how long until they follow in the shoes of the (once thought to be) indestructible Big Brother?
More importantly what tricks have Channel four got in store for encouraging people to watch Big Brother Ten and what will Simon Cowell do to save X Factor heading the same way? Perhaps there is no answer...Cowell is reported to be leaving X Factor after this year.
Sunday, 23 November 2008
Reality television- the perks and pains for the contestants
Do you ever wake up in a cold sweat, unable to sleep and WORRYING about ex-reality television stars and what they are doing now?
Probably not-but its an interesting thought, is it possible to have a normal life after a brief brush with fame?
Most people I know know someone who was or is in a reality television show. Whether it's a friend who dated Kevin Bratherton from Shipwrecked, a brother who dated Esme Conway from Living on the Edge or a friend who's sister is Diana Vickers from X Factor.
Like characters from a pantomime they are entertaining and their quirky personalities keep us amused for a few months a year.
But when the show is over what happens to these flirters with fame that pop in and out of our lives? How odd it must feel to be Britain's most loved persona one minute and back in a bar pulling pints the next................
Click here to read what a famous reality television contestant thought about his experience of reality TV.
The slide show illustrates the risk of reality television.Whilst it is possible to be successful and retain some sort of kudos, it is just as likely to backfire. Alesha Dixon, winner of Strictly Come Dancing, said that the show actually saved her life. She had just been dropped by her record label and dumped by her husband for another woman. Alesha now has a top ten hit, new record label,new movie coming out and has regained her sparkle and charisma. Click here to see Alesha performing her new single at the Clothes Show on Saturday (6th dec).
Some contestants are so troubled by their experience they commit suicide. On top of this others have to undergo therapy such as Jade Goody who still saw a therapist this summer despite it being a year since she last appeared in Big Brother.
Nick Bateman was said to have needed therapy after leaving the house and a host of other disturbed participants admitted to also needing therapy such as Chantelle, and Charley from Big Brother.
If these are the results of reality television should there be some sort of health warning to go alongside the applications?
Probably not-but its an interesting thought, is it possible to have a normal life after a brief brush with fame?
Most people I know know someone who was or is in a reality television show. Whether it's a friend who dated Kevin Bratherton from Shipwrecked, a brother who dated Esme Conway from Living on the Edge or a friend who's sister is Diana Vickers from X Factor.
Like characters from a pantomime they are entertaining and their quirky personalities keep us amused for a few months a year.
But when the show is over what happens to these flirters with fame that pop in and out of our lives? How odd it must feel to be Britain's most loved persona one minute and back in a bar pulling pints the next................
Click here to read what a famous reality television contestant thought about his experience of reality TV.
The slide show illustrates the risk of reality television.Whilst it is possible to be successful and retain some sort of kudos, it is just as likely to backfire. Alesha Dixon, winner of Strictly Come Dancing, said that the show actually saved her life. She had just been dropped by her record label and dumped by her husband for another woman. Alesha now has a top ten hit, new record label,new movie coming out and has regained her sparkle and charisma. Click here to see Alesha performing her new single at the Clothes Show on Saturday (6th dec).
Some contestants are so troubled by their experience they commit suicide. On top of this others have to undergo therapy such as Jade Goody who still saw a therapist this summer despite it being a year since she last appeared in Big Brother.
Nick Bateman was said to have needed therapy after leaving the house and a host of other disturbed participants admitted to also needing therapy such as Chantelle, and Charley from Big Brother.
If these are the results of reality television should there be some sort of health warning to go alongside the applications?
Whats the BIG BOTHER over reality tv-IS IPTV the answer?
VANISHED are the days when Saturday nights included going out, and it has nothing to do with the credit crunch but the dominance of reality television. On a Saturday night I find myself hosting X Factor parties- pyjama cladden, champagne flowing and festive nibbles doing the rounds- bringing me to the conclusion that staying in is definitely the new going out.
View Larger Map
For some X Factor parties aren't enough and seeing the show live is a necessity. I know of at least six people who will have traveled many miles down south just so they can experience a reality show in person.
View Larger Map
The locations of the most popular reality television studios-the things people will do for reality.
However as reality television swirls up a storm hit shows such as X Factor, Strictly Come Dancing and I am celebrity... are generating a huge amount of attention this year and more often than not it is desperately controversial.
I laughed at a friend the other day who confessed that she, along with her boyfriend, voted six times on X Factor. This was because they usually watch it with her parents and two sisters but because said family were out they had to ensure they voted the same number of times as usual.
This friend is not alone-voting is important to most people-they believe that extra vote counts. When Laura White was voted out by the public dismayed fans demanded a recount. Viewers shook their heads in shock and threw their fingers down in anger as they logged online to join petition online.com They claimed the phone lines were too busy and they could not get through. Blogs and fan sites were bombarded with comments of outrage- one upset fan on contract music.com said:
Politicians and celebrities alike have become involved in the Laura debacle. Culture Secretary Andy Burnham on Question Time called Laura “wonderful and talented” and the decision to vote her out was “very harsh.”
After a week the issue umbrellared with an Offcom Spokeswoman announcing:
Although ITV have been know in the past to discard votes in programmes such as 'Ant and Dec's Saturday night Take Away should we not put the topic to bed? ITV were fined extortionate amounts of money which was a credit munching mistake that they will surely try desperately to avoid happening.
Viewers appear to be clutching at straw-like mistakes in a bid to drag back the rejected contestants. In a similar situation, last year's X factor final revealed underdog Leon Jackson to be the winner. Fans of Rhydian, the runner up, responded with accusations that Rhydian's line was engaged and they could not get through to vote. Is this the new vogue weapon whereby sore losers use faulty phone lines to soothe their anger and disappointment?
Pic-"cowbite" on Flcrk- http://www.flickr.com/people/cowbite/
Michael Williams from the Independent conducted a lecture at UCLAN today and the topic was broadcasting. John Sergeant's controversial exit from hit show Strictly Come Dancing was mentioned. As twinkle toes John opted out and packed up his dancing shoes fans quipped it was a fix and bombarded social networking sights with threats of substituting Strictly Come Dancing by watching X Factor instead. The BBC was shot with 170,000 fiery customer comments on its web message board-its only retort was to dodge the bullets and shut down the Strictly Come Dancing website temporarily.
Queensgate and Socksgate, further led to the BBC losing the viewers' trust due to misrepresentation of obscene pranks and lies.
Brandgate had the effect of encouraging the concept of IPT television (internet protocol television), or as Micheal Williams put it a "pix and mix" which is comparable to owning a Tesco club card-Google recognizes what you like by how you search. Tom Weiss, chief executive of TV Genius, questioned that"the end is nigh," for television when he explained the impossibility of watching shows that involve voting on the internet such as X factor.
At the moment, despite ITV and the BBC botching past polls, they do notnot reveal votes and spoil the anticipation. Weiss made the point in Media Week of saying:
I took on board this challenge by attempting to view an unwatched version of America's Next Top Model on youtube, but, much to my horror, the videos were either next to spoiler videos such as "Whitney wins" or if I managed to miraculously avoid any giveaway in the video titles by squinting and blindly pressing the play button it only meant I (mistakenly) scrolled down too far to see the top comment on the list reading "Melrose so should have won.."
All the paths of controversy plead for the maintenance of censorship on reality television not its demise, but an enforcement of the rules of the game. It is better for fans and judges to accept the results. After all, because of previous disasters television companies are more likely than ever to admit the blunder before it is questioned to save further embarrassment.
Weiss explains in Media Week the hit of Saturday night television:
Just as I write this blog I am (newly) informed that my Mum's boyfriend is a fan of IPTV . I run down stairs to ask him why? Before he has time to reply it suddenly hits me-Weiss' point is proven- internet television encourages anti social communications within families. I live in a house where we all furiously type away on our lap tops, my mum writing copy for a magazine, me typing my blog, and he...well I never really thought about it until now...but obviously watching television. Without Saturday night reality television we would never watch anything together or in unison with the UK.
It is true the license fee would seize to exist with the death of television but we would become more like America and voting on shows would be a whole new experience with no where near the methodical control which enables us to (usually) glide through the viewing experience. Advertisements would float about fighting for our attention on our favorite shows. In his speech supporting the BBC and extra regulation on the media, Conservative MP,Jeremy Hunt, argues British television needs to be kept to this high standard: javascript:void(0
Television has made some big hiccups in the past but it is run by human beings who make mistakes and it is still more preferable to cyber technology despite this. Could stricter limitations on television repair past damage and re-enforce trust?
As Hunt reiterated to the Guardian-in return for "lighter touch" regulation a Conservative government would expect broadcasters to "abide with agreed codes for socially responsible broadcasting."
I have not written for a bit...but do not fear fellow bloggers reality television continues without me....`
Are you a radio four fan? A few days ago there was this exact same conversation about on the insightful show about laws regarding television in the US and the adverts which constantly dominate their screens. On the radio they raised a good point-if advertisers in england get permission to run pop up adverts during our shows many people wont actually watch television-so the advertisers lose viewers if anything. The introduction of SKy Plus means adverts can be eliminated altogether by pre-recording and fast forwarding.
However the pesky advertisers are not only infiltrating our lives throughout favourite shows but now, sneakily, through popular films. James Bond's Quantum of Solace was reported to have earned vast amounts form product placement. With a new airline providing planes for the crew. DIe another day was nicknamed Buy another day for the same reason!
View Larger Map
For some X Factor parties aren't enough and seeing the show live is a necessity. I know of at least six people who will have traveled many miles down south just so they can experience a reality show in person.
View Larger Map
The locations of the most popular reality television studios-the things people will do for reality.
However as reality television swirls up a storm hit shows such as X Factor, Strictly Come Dancing and I am celebrity... are generating a huge amount of attention this year and more often than not it is desperately controversial.
I laughed at a friend the other day who confessed that she, along with her boyfriend, voted six times on X Factor. This was because they usually watch it with her parents and two sisters but because said family were out they had to ensure they voted the same number of times as usual.
This friend is not alone-voting is important to most people-they believe that extra vote counts. When Laura White was voted out by the public dismayed fans demanded a recount. Viewers shook their heads in shock and threw their fingers down in anger as they logged online to join petition online.com They claimed the phone lines were too busy and they could not get through. Blogs and fan sites were bombarded with comments of outrage- one upset fan on contract music.com said:
"ITS SO WRONG THIS TALENTED SINGER WENT HOME THIS IS THE WRONG DECISION SHAME ON THE JUDGE WHO SENT HER HOME ITS THE JUDGE THAT SHOULD BE GOT RID OF..."Rewind to a few weeks ago-there was also outcry from the reality-show loving public this time concerning Ruth Lorenzo who's voting number was missing a digit-this was corrected immediately with an audio announcement. A statement from an X factor spokeswoman explained that this would not have affected the final outcome. (click here for Dipity timeline and more details)
Politicians and celebrities alike have become involved in the Laura debacle. Culture Secretary Andy Burnham on Question Time called Laura “wonderful and talented” and the decision to vote her out was “very harsh.”
After a week the issue umbrellared with an Offcom Spokeswoman announcing:
I can confirm we have received complaints. We are now looking at them against the broadcasting code,"
Although ITV have been know in the past to discard votes in programmes such as 'Ant and Dec's Saturday night Take Away should we not put the topic to bed? ITV were fined extortionate amounts of money which was a credit munching mistake that they will surely try desperately to avoid happening.
Viewers appear to be clutching at straw-like mistakes in a bid to drag back the rejected contestants. In a similar situation, last year's X factor final revealed underdog Leon Jackson to be the winner. Fans of Rhydian, the runner up, responded with accusations that Rhydian's line was engaged and they could not get through to vote. Is this the new vogue weapon whereby sore losers use faulty phone lines to soothe their anger and disappointment?
Pic-"cowbite" on Flcrk- http://www.flickr.com/people/cowbite/
Michael Williams from the Independent conducted a lecture at UCLAN today and the topic was broadcasting. John Sergeant's controversial exit from hit show Strictly Come Dancing was mentioned. As twinkle toes John opted out and packed up his dancing shoes fans quipped it was a fix and bombarded social networking sights with threats of substituting Strictly Come Dancing by watching X Factor instead. The BBC was shot with 170,000 fiery customer comments on its web message board-its only retort was to dodge the bullets and shut down the Strictly Come Dancing website temporarily.
Queensgate and Socksgate, further led to the BBC losing the viewers' trust due to misrepresentation of obscene pranks and lies.
Brandgate had the effect of encouraging the concept of IPT television (internet protocol television), or as Micheal Williams put it a "pix and mix" which is comparable to owning a Tesco club card-Google recognizes what you like by how you search. Tom Weiss, chief executive of TV Genius, questioned that"the end is nigh," for television when he explained the impossibility of watching shows that involve voting on the internet such as X factor.
At the moment, despite ITV and the BBC botching past polls, they do notnot reveal votes and spoil the anticipation. Weiss made the point in Media Week of saying:
Many of the most popular shows are impossible to watch on-demand,such as those with telephone voting-try going online without learning who has been evicted.
I took on board this challenge by attempting to view an unwatched version of America's Next Top Model on youtube, but, much to my horror, the videos were either next to spoiler videos such as "Whitney wins" or if I managed to miraculously avoid any giveaway in the video titles by squinting and blindly pressing the play button it only meant I (mistakenly) scrolled down too far to see the top comment on the list reading "Melrose so should have won.."
All the paths of controversy plead for the maintenance of censorship on reality television not its demise, but an enforcement of the rules of the game. It is better for fans and judges to accept the results. After all, because of previous disasters television companies are more likely than ever to admit the blunder before it is questioned to save further embarrassment.
Weiss explains in Media Week the hit of Saturday night television:
" people want to watch these television shows when everyone else is watching so they can share the experience and talk about it."
Just as I write this blog I am (newly) informed that my Mum's boyfriend is a fan of IPTV . I run down stairs to ask him why? Before he has time to reply it suddenly hits me-Weiss' point is proven- internet television encourages anti social communications within families. I live in a house where we all furiously type away on our lap tops, my mum writing copy for a magazine, me typing my blog, and he...well I never really thought about it until now...but obviously watching television. Without Saturday night reality television we would never watch anything together or in unison with the UK.
It is true the license fee would seize to exist with the death of television but we would become more like America and voting on shows would be a whole new experience with no where near the methodical control which enables us to (usually) glide through the viewing experience. Advertisements would float about fighting for our attention on our favorite shows. In his speech supporting the BBC and extra regulation on the media, Conservative MP,Jeremy Hunt, argues British television needs to be kept to this high standard: javascript:void(0
The needs of British people as citizens are arguably more richly served by broadcasters here than anywhere else in the world.
Television has made some big hiccups in the past but it is run by human beings who make mistakes and it is still more preferable to cyber technology despite this. Could stricter limitations on television repair past damage and re-enforce trust?
As Hunt reiterated to the Guardian-in return for "lighter touch" regulation a Conservative government would expect broadcasters to "abide with agreed codes for socially responsible broadcasting."
I have not written for a bit...but do not fear fellow bloggers reality television continues without me....`
Are you a radio four fan? A few days ago there was this exact same conversation about on the insightful show about laws regarding television in the US and the adverts which constantly dominate their screens. On the radio they raised a good point-if advertisers in england get permission to run pop up adverts during our shows many people wont actually watch television-so the advertisers lose viewers if anything. The introduction of SKy Plus means adverts can be eliminated altogether by pre-recording and fast forwarding.
However the pesky advertisers are not only infiltrating our lives throughout favourite shows but now, sneakily, through popular films. James Bond's Quantum of Solace was reported to have earned vast amounts form product placement. With a new airline providing planes for the crew. DIe another day was nicknamed Buy another day for the same reason!
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