Reality television

Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded. A television reality show features talent culled from the ranks of 'ordinary' people, not professionally trained actors. Reality show producers typically shoot hundreds of hours of footage per episode and use creative editing to create a narrative thread. Subjects of a reality show may be given some rudimentary directions off screen, but the point is to allow the performers to act and react as normally as possible. A reality show is not to be confused with a documentary, in which the subjects are asked to ignore the cameras and behave naturally.

Types of Reality Shows

• Celeb-Reality: Reality shows with celebrities are a rage with the audience.

Examples: Dancing with the Stars, The Simple Life, and Big Brother

• Game Shows: Reality shows that are based on games.

Examples: Who wants to be a Millionaire?" Hollywood Blocks, Weakest Link

• Talent Hunts: Reality shows that are looking for talented people be it singers, dancers or even actors.  Example: American Idol, America's Got Talent, Star Search
• Job-hunts: Shows that are synonymous with live on air interviews are listed under this category. Example: The Apprentice, On the Lot (Directors), Project Runway (For fashion Designers), The Runway (Tommy Hilfiger), Hell's Kitchen (Chefs)
• Makeovers: Reality shows with make over stories. Be it a personal makeover or a home make over, these shows are very popular with the audience.

Example: Monster House, What-not-to-wear, While You Were Out

• Dating-Shows: Reality shows that gave a platform for dating men and women on air.

Example: For Love or For Money, Perfect Match New York

• Social Experiments: A relatively new genre of reality television that involves interaction of distinct social groups. Example: The Beauty and the Geek, Wife Swap
• Adventure/Fear based shows: A genre of TV shows that challenges the participants with difficult and weird tasks. Example: Fear Factor, Who Dares Wins

Some reality shows provide artists a good platform to get noticed, some shows help people win money and fame but almost all of them keep the audience hooked on to the action and craving for more!

Most Popular Reality Shows on Indian Television

MTV Roadies is a youth-based popular reality television show on MTV India.

The selected Roadies are provided with Hero Honda Karizma bikes to travel on a pre-decided route. Each episode features a vote-out at the end in which the Roadies eliminate one of their fellow Roadies by an anonymous vote, thereby decreasing the number of Roadies carrying on with the journey. However there are some episodes in which Roadies can get immunity and hence can not be voted out. Each episode consists of number of tasks or challenges which the Roadies have to perform. These can be either "Money tasks" or "Immunity tasks". By successfully completing the "Money tasks", the Roadies add cash to their account while in "Immunity tasks", the team or roadie which wins gets Immunity. Such a team or roadie is safe from vote-out i.e its members cannot be voted-out in that particular episode. The tasks are either team-based or individual-based. The Roadie who survives till the end is declared the winner and walks away with the total cash accumulated by performing the money tasks.

Kaun Banega Crorepati

Amitabh Bachchan's stint on television that was perhaps the first reality show on Indian television to garner humongous audience response. The second season of the series was hosted by Shahrukh Khan but did not seem to fare just as well.

Indian Idol

This show has been one of the most popular reality shows on Indian television and perhaps due to the voting factor. With boys next-door turning into ultimate singing sensations, this show already has completed three seasons.

Big Boss

The Indian version of UK's Big Brother was the most sensational and controversial reality show in India. Although long forgotten Actor Rahul Roy emerged as the winner, it was people like Anupama Verma, Aryan Vaid (due to their on-air love-affair) and Rakhi Sawant (due to her in-your-face attitude) who got instant recognition from this show.

VIEWS AGAINST REALITY SHOWS

What does it actually teach you? People become addicted to it very often. If it's called reality TV, then why isn't it about average people's lives? Excessive partying is not "reality." Ordinary people do other ordinary things in real life, so failure to include them does not count as reality.

NO BENIFITS TO ANYONE! These shows are all pointless. All they show is how spoiled rich people get drunk, party, and fight with each other and other innocent people they come in contact with. I also believe that the people on these shows need to grow up and get a job and to stop relying on their families money to help support their awful and destructive lifestyles.

they are a complete waste of space on the TV guide and a waste of money on the tv bill! Why would you want to watch peoples lives and there happy and sad times? Shouldn't you just live your own life? Don't be influenced by those people!

VIEWS IN FAVOUR OF

reality tv should not be banned because for some people, reality tv is their life. For example, if that guy hadnt won on survivor, his family woiuld still be poor. Also, shows like All-Star Celeberity Apprentice helps charity a bunch, which is good. So, again, I THINK NOT!

there are shows like The Apprentice where if you win, you can get a job, and you can also get money for your family if you are in finacial trouble. So, as far as my thoughts go, reality tv should not be banned, not now, not ever, because it can help some people a lot.

Reality television makes money, and in a materialistic consumer society, they won't cancel a show that makes money. That's just not how the world works. The best example are adverts, that admittedly most people (including me) don't like, because they interrupt the show I'm watching, but they also wouldn't show them if they weren't effectively showing their product

it's entertaining to watch , it's competing which makes it more better and it can teach you things like being confident. You can win prizes like cash also it helps you team work by watching it sometimes. So hope you agree with me.

Pros and cons of reality tv You can't ban reality tv completely. Some of it is educational in nature and of benefit to all like national geographic or nature programs but celebrity tv is ludicrous. My god. Celebrity party planners for 1 year olds birthday parties. Give me a break. Are we that starved for entertainment.