Are Reality TV Shows just a way for TV Networks to Save Money?

1. 66

   celebritieposted 13 years ago

   Are Reality TV Shows just a way for TV Networks to Save Money?
   
   pay little to no money for real people instead of established actors

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2. 60

   Daffy Duckposted 13 years ago

   That's a great question.  The ones where it's all about someone living their daily lives, yes.  The others like survivor, no.

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3. 60

   Merlin Fraserposted 13 years ago

   I think the simple answer to yur question is a big YES !
   
   These rediculous 'Fly on the Wall' Docu programmes are cheap to make and are as entertaining as watching the wash cycle on your washing machine.
   
   However the same is true of so many current TV programmes, about cooking, property finding or repairing and so on.  Or how about all those stupid chat shows where the contestants are encouraged to try to kill one another !
   
   Add to that endless programme repeats then you can see how TV Networks continue to make money hand over fist and give very little in return and we are dumb enough not to do anything about it !.

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4. 59

   nightwork4posted 13 years ago

   it's just a way to get people to talk about them. reality tv is nothing short of a media super-scam. see how even you are on here talking about it, it works pretty good eh?

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5. 65

   Robin Oatleyposted 13 years ago

   First of all, not all reality TV shows are cheap to make, for example (as Daffy Duck said) Survivor is not een cheap show to make, the same goes for The Amazing race, Big brother and many alike. However, shows that include one or maybe two camera's that follows a single person's daily life are quite cheap to make. In this case you don't have to hire a location, actors and a lot of crew members.
   Some programs might be relatively cheap to produce, but I still don't think the networks create these shows to save money. Networks would rather spend more money in order to make more money, than cut back on programs budgets, which will lead to less money being made.

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6. 37

   EFranz13posted 12 years ago

   I really don't think they do it to save money. Reality TV shows and Contest shows MAKE mad money...
   
   I think they pick regular, everyday people, so we (the viewers) can relate to them.
   
   ALSO - so we will VOTE for the ones we like, or the ones who came from our Location.
   
   Most of these shows have some kind of "viewer voting" polls or winner predictions. A LOT of people are paying 99c to call in or text their votes.
   
   Think about American Idol, when they say something like this on every episode:  "after over 40 million votes" - well, that 40 million votes in 2 hours!  That equals... a LOT of MOOLAH  !!!

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