The Tube Has Spoken: Reality Tv And History (film And History)
by Julie Taddeo /
2009 / English / EPUB
1.4 MB Download
Featuring ordinary people, celebrities, game shows, hidden cameras,
everyday situations, and humorous or dramatic situations, reality
TV is one of the fastest growing and important popular culture
trends of the past decade, with roots reaching back to the days of
radio. The Tube Has Spoken provides an analysis of the growing
phenomenon of reality TV, its evolution as a genre, and how it has
been shaped by cultural history. This collection of essays looks at
a wide spectrum of shows airing from the 1950s to the present,
addressing some of the most popular programs including Alan Funt's
Candid Camera, Big Brother, Wife Swap, Kid Nation, and The Biggest
Loser. It offers both a multidisciplinary approach and a
cross-cultural perspective, considering Australian, Canadian,
British, and American programs. In addition, the book explores how
popular culture shapes modern western values; for example, both An
American Family and its British counterpart, The Family, showcase
the decline of the nuclear family in response to materialistic
pressures and the modern ethos of individualism. This collection
highlights how reality TV has altered the tastes and values of
audiences in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It analyzes
how reality TV programs reflect the tensions between the individual
and the community, the transformative power of technology, the
creation of the celebrity, and the breakdown of public and private
spheres.
Featuring ordinary people, celebrities, game shows, hidden cameras,
everyday situations, and humorous or dramatic situations, reality
TV is one of the fastest growing and important popular culture
trends of the past decade, with roots reaching back to the days of
radio. The Tube Has Spoken provides an analysis of the growing
phenomenon of reality TV, its evolution as a genre, and how it has
been shaped by cultural history. This collection of essays looks at
a wide spectrum of shows airing from the 1950s to the present,
addressing some of the most popular programs including Alan Funt's
Candid Camera, Big Brother, Wife Swap, Kid Nation, and The Biggest
Loser. It offers both a multidisciplinary approach and a
cross-cultural perspective, considering Australian, Canadian,
British, and American programs. In addition, the book explores how
popular culture shapes modern western values; for example, both An
American Family and its British counterpart, The Family, showcase
the decline of the nuclear family in response to materialistic
pressures and the modern ethos of individualism. This collection
highlights how reality TV has altered the tastes and values of
audiences in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It analyzes
how reality TV programs reflect the tensions between the individual
and the community, the transformative power of technology, the
creation of the celebrity, and the breakdown of public and private
spheres.