How real are TV shows?

Reality shows are getting more popular these days as the audience show keen interest towards such genre programs. As a result, Television Rating Points (TRP) is marked higher for these programs, which in turn brings more sponsors for the programs. As television is yet another business, marketing skills has to be applied even here and one such effective technique is to enhance the television programs in a creative way.

Television audience, today, are no more passive, they are turning out themselves to be active reciprocators. The improvement in the quality of the programs is one of the best evidence to claim that audience have become passive. The entire format and the structure of television programming are taking a new shape today, with more of audience interaction and social relationship. Reality shows are giving more scope for the participation of the audience, and giving them publicity among their peer group. Reality shows are aiming in bringing out the innate potent of a person, especially a very common man. 

One such effective and the most liked program is the Airtel Super Singer of Vijay TV. When you hear the very name of it, you can understand the fame of it. Airtel is just the sponsor of the program, but the program name is very well blended with it, and reality shows are the father of this concept. Many talented individuals who did not get a right platform to exhibit their talents, found this program an effective way for gaining exposure. Almost all successive participants of that program today are shining in their dream career and their fans list has increased high in number. Most talented potentials are brought from villages and towns, who would have not shined to this extent, if they would have not got this opportunity.

However, as like every other thing, there is always a debate running around as whether these shows are real ones and purely manipulated. In my point of view, manipulation, of course will exist in any television show, as it is after all a program and not real life. All that you can measure is the amount of reality existing in it. Even reality can be manipulated sometimes, and in that way I don’t see that there is any issue all about it. The concept of reality shows are that they should not be scripted in advance. It must almost be a live show which does not involve any kind of script writing and editing. But, it is simply not possible to make such shows. Therefore, the program producers make certain elements creative and pre plan certain other things, in order to gain audience interest. According to Airtel Super Singer, always the most liked singer will perform the last and this is one plan of the producer which you may feel manipulated, yet it is the need of the hour in increasing the rating point of the program.

Therefore, Airtel Super Singer is one of the reality shows which of course are slightly manipulated, however can be completely accepted in the reality show genre.