Why reality TV works

Did you know that nine of the ten most popular shows on TV are reality programmes?

This is quite amazing when you realize that realite TV didn't even exist until the 1990s. It caught on all over the world within afew years. Why is reality TV so popular?

For one thing, on many shows, viewers can vote and say who they think shoukd win. THis makes people feel they're part of the action with a real influence on the programme. Another reason for this popularity is that viewers feel the contestants are a lot like them. According to psychologist Steven Reiss, "Ordinary people can watch the shows, see people like themselves and imagine that they, too could become celebrities by being on television."

Networks are keen on reality shows because they're cheap to produce. Participants are usually paid little or nothing. In contrast, for dramas and comedies, a star can demand as much as one milliondollars per episode!

Reality programmes  continue year after year, and new ones are constantly being created. Will this trend continue in the future, or will viewers get tired of them and demand somethingnew? Only time will tell.