My professor liked my post so she put it on her blog as well. It's a cool site about ethics and current issues, so I highly recommend checking it out.
Most people
nowadays know that reality television is not an accurate representation of
reality. It frequently depicts scripted versions of ridiculous girl fights or
tearful confessions. Yet these types of shows continue to be extremely popular,
especially among the larger TV networks.
There is
something rather addicting about watching everyday people compete for fame and
fortune, or even snap at each other over seemingly shallow matters. The
dysfunction of reality TV is like a train wreck; it’s horrible to watch, but
hard to look away from. Seeing people fall apart has become a major form of
entertainment in America.
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| Photo courtesy of thegeorgetownindy.com. |
Within the last
few years, the focus has shifted from adults humiliating themselves on national
television to children doing the same thing. A prime example of this shift is
the popular TLC show Toddlers and Tiaras and
its spinoff series Here Comes Honey Boo
Boo. These shows depict young children (almost always girls) getting
dressed up with loads of makeup and hair extensions and parading around for
judges. They also show these kids being kids, acting silly, throwing tantrums,
and saying things that seem strange and often humorous to the adults who observe
them. The humorous nature of these shows gives them enormous commercial appeal
and entertainment value. But what are the ethical implications of using
children for entertainment? How far is too far?
Many ethical
decisions come into question when dealing with children in entertainment, but
the biggest may be why so many people find dysfunctional children so
entertaining in the first place. It’s like corrupting the innocence of a young
person without their knowledge or consent is something to be proud of.
There are other
dilemmas as well, such as issues of privacy and child labor. Some reality shows
film for hours, getting footage of embarrassing meltdowns or private family
moments. Children can rarely decide what is put out about them; that responsibility
falls on their parents and the show’s producers. Also, even though they are
encouraged to go about their “normal” lives when the cameras are rolling, the
pressure of having a film crew infiltrate aspects of everyday life can create
great psychological strain on a child.
Since tantrums
and foul language bump up ratings, producers want children to perform for the
camera in a way that will entertain the audience. This belief encourages the
children on these reality TV shows to misbehave. If they think they have to act
crazy or humiliate themselves to get attention and approval, how will they
behave as adults? Just look at former child stars Lindsay Lohan or Amanda Bynes.
What is our
responsibility as media consumers? Can we ignore unethical practices in the
name of entertainment? I don’t think so. Someone needs to stand up for the
children (and even adult) reality TV stars and put an end to the exploitation.
For the average media consumer, taking a stand may be as simple as clicking the
off button on the remote.
