Reality TV: Remaking Television Culture (Paperback)

~ Susan Murray (Editor), Laurie Ouellette (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Offers the most insightful and significant scholarly analysis to date of the changes taking place in the economic "globalization" of television production. A delight to read, laced with wit and humor."

- Choice

"Since reality television began to flood TV screens, we've had to deal with another phenomenon: a renewed debate about what is 'fun' versus what is 'good for you.' The essays in this volume enlighten that discussion and take us beyond it. They provide both the record of a strange moment in history and a contribution to contemporary cultural politics."

- Toby Miller, editor of Television & New Media

"The book explores the genre's institutional and sociopolitical development, its place in the cultural landscape, and how it serves as a source of meaning and pleasure."

- NYU Today

Product Description

"Since reality television began to flood TV screens, we've had to deal with another phenomenon: a renewed debate about what is 'fun' versus what is 'good for you.' The essays in this volume enlighten that discussion and take us beyond it. They provide both the record of a strange moment in history and a contribution to contemporary cultural politics."
—Toby Miller, editor of Television & New Media

Survivor. The Bachelor. Extreme Makeover. Big Brother. Joe Millionaire. American Idol. The Osbournes. It is virtually impossible to turn on a television without coming across some sort of reality programming. Yet, while this genre has rapidly moved from the fringes of television culture to its lucrative core, critical attention has not kept pace.

Beginning by unearthing its historical roots in early reality shows like Candid Camera and wending its way through An American Family, Cops, and The Real World to the most recent crop of reality programs, Reality TV is the first book to address the economic, visual, cultural, and audience dimensions of reality television. The essays provide a complex and comprehensive picture of how and why this genre emerged, what it means, how it differs from earlier television programming, and how it engages societies, industries, and individuals. Topics range from the construction of televisual "reality" to the changing face of criminal violence on TV, to issues of surveillance, taste, and social control.

By spanning reality television's origins in the late 1940s to its current overwhelming popularity, Reality TV demonstrates both the tenacity of the format and its enduring ability to speak to our changing political and social desires and anxieties.

Contributors include: Nick Couldry, Mary Beth Haralovich, John Hartley, Chuck Kleinhans, Derek Kompare, Jon Kraszewski, Kathleen LeBesco, Justin Lewis, Ted Magder, Jennifer Maher, Anna McCarthy, Rick Morris, Chad Raphael, Elayne Rapping, Jeffrey Sconce, Michael W. Trosset, Pamela Wilson.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: NYU Press (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814756883
• ISBN-13: 978-0814756881
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #790,619 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An anthology of essays by learned authors , December 9, 2004

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reality TV: Remaking Television Culture (Hardcover)

Reality TV: Remaking Television Culture is an anthology of essays by learned authors exploring the popular culture phenomenon of "Reality TV" that has redefined entertainment, particularly in the twenty-first century. From hybrid blends of documentary and reality TV, to ubiquitous court TV shows, demographics of those who follow reality TV, webcasting, the profound impact of "Survivor", and more, Reality TV: Remaking Television Culture explores avenues with scholarly depth and attention to detail. An index allows for quick research in this groundbreaking cultural expose recommended especially for academic libraries.