Some Definitions

Reality television is...• a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted

dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors. (Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_television)

• a catch-all category that includes a wide range of television programmes about real people. Sometimes called popular factual television, reality TV is located in border territories, between information and entertainment, documentary and drama. (Annette Hill, Reality TV, 2005)

• programming that is unscripted and follows actual ‘real life’ events as they unfold, usually involving members of the public or groups of celebrities. (http://www.skillset.org)

• the television genre where situations are created by the show’s producers, but the show itself is unscripted. Cameras capture the participants’ natural reactions and responses to the situations created, which are then edited as a programme or series. (Product Placement Glossary, iTVX.com)

4© English and Media Centre