Quote:
Originally posted by ltl/fb
I don't think the studios can get more out of reality, but I think it's not going to go away -- so it's a reliable, significant source of money. And it seems like even though people might prefer to watch good stuff, if there's nothing really good, they'll watch almost anything.
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The paradox in reality television was that it did lower costs substantially for the studios and open up a whole new revenue stream. But in so doing, television dumbed itself down just in time for the internet to enter the stage and show equally dumb programming to the public (Drudge, Gawker, etc..). Television didn't protect its advantage.
It's only a matter of time until the net figures out a way to start pumping out reality shows of comparable quality. And on the net, the banner ads can't be ignored with TiVo.
I have to confess, by the way, I hate-- No, loathe, reality television, in its almost every incarnation. Sure, I can watch a few minutes of America's Most Smartest Model because Ben Stein is hysterical, but I cannot stomach five minutes of Survivor or Real World or even Beauty and the Geek. It's always the same platform - cringe as fools embarrass selves. It's a very limited punchline.
I think the reason for the success of reality television is it makes the people who watch it feel a lot better about themselves. That kind of creeps me out.
