Well this is a type of television programming favoured by commerical TV stations who rely on generating revenue by advertising. These types of shows appeal to the lowest common denominator which means they dont offer a refined taste or opinion and so by default doesn't turn people off because its not to their particular taste. It also plays on the idea of voyeurism. This in theory means the show attracts a large broad range of viewers as possible which will in turn drive up advertising slot costs and make more money. This is often supplemented by a phone vote feature which generates more money.

In the UK, where the explosion of Digital Terrestrial Television has now given most of the public at least 30 channels to choose from, the big 5 commercial terrestrial channels have employed reality TV as a tactic to maintain large audiences. Most guilty of this is 'itv', nicknamed chavtv whos last two attempts at reality TV were a little too far fetched (celebrity wrestling and celebrity love island) and concequently flopped.

My hope is that this represents a turn in the tide of endless banal reality TV and that the enormous amount of money made off it will be invested into quality TV programming but I think thats unlikely.

Shit that's faker than Pam Anderson's titties and more fixed than pro wrestling!

A truly saddening development of modern media. Programming which lacks any redeeming social, intellectual or moral value but is nonetheless poigniant in a macabre way due to the reflection it offers of a rapidly declining western culture. Primarily watched by mindless, brainwashed Americans who are long since bereft of any intelligent thought or recognizable human values (greed and self-interest notwithstanding).

possibly the worst advent in television since pro wrestling. Basically an excuse for Fox TV to only have to spend $30,000 dollars on random street folk and a handycam, so they can tape for twelve hours and get ridiculously high ratings, turning a large profit in the process-originated with shows like COPS, and Candid Camera, and eventually degraded itself to shit like "The Simple Life," "Joe Millionare," and most recently and disgustingly, "The Swan"

TV that in reality has very little, if anything, to do with do with anything based on reality.

About as real as seeing a cat doing my tax papers while whistling Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" in A-minor.

Complete and utter crap.

Overhyped, overrated television shows which are in no way, shape, or form, real.