One thing the fuss over this illustrates, I think, is that the idea, certainly here in the UK, that reality shows will get more and more unpleasant because audiences want things to become more and more extreme is an incorrect one. These days, helped by the fact it's far easier to complain than ever before, audiences are quick to go running to Ofcom whenever they think a show is becoming unfair. There have been frequent complaints about "bullying" in the past few years.
The decline in X Factor's ratings in the UK - at a far faster rate than Britain's Got Talent and Strictly Come Dancing (With The Stars) - also suggests that if programmes become too contrived and unpleasant, people will switch off. Audiences just don't want it, and are quick to make their offence felt. -- -- TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TVorNotTV" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
