Abstract:
Reality
based sitcom can be considered a part of reality television. After doing this paper there are actually
eight subgenres when it comes to reality television. The other thing is that the first reality
based sitcom television had aired in the 1970s and the name was An American Family. The first reality
based-sitcom was first aired on the PBS network. Something that was interesting
was that after the 1970s reality based sitcom An American Family aired reality based sitcoms did not remain
popular even though it was successful during the time. Reality-based sitcom had finally reached it
peek in the year 2002 it was actually thank to MTV network.
Introduction:
Reality based sitcom
television seem to make up only one eight of reality television. In the Encyclopedia of Television: AC written
by Horace Newcomb states “Reality television is a label that encompasses a wide range of nonfiction
formats, including gamesdocs, makeover programs, talent contests, docusoaps,
dating shows, court programs, tabloid newsmagazine shows, and reality based
sitcoms”(Newcomb 1900) . From this quote it is clear to see that when it comes
to reality based sitcom it is the last thing to be considered reality
television.
Literature Review:
The
researchers that had their own version of reality based sitcom television were
Su Holmes and Deborah Jermyn, Horace Newcomb, and Susan Murray and Laurie
Ouellette. Su Holmes and Deborah define reality television as “Reality TV has
been applied, as well as the extent to which this has shifted over time with
the emergence of further permutation in reality based text….definition is
rather more than a matter of arguing over terminology, categories and
discursive labels”(Holmes 2). Horace
Newcomb defines reality television as “a label that encompasses a wide range of nonfiction
formats, including game docs, makeover programs, talent contests, docusoaps,
dating shows, court programs, tabloid newsmagazine shows, and reality-based
sitcoms”( Newcomb 1900). Susan Murray
and Laurie Ouellette define reality television as “TV as an unabashedly
commercial genre united less by aesthetic rules or certainties than by the
fusion of popular entertainment with a self-conscious claim to the discourse of
the real” (Murray 2). From these quotes
given by these researchers it is clear to see that they have different view of
what they think that reality television is.
Explanation:
The
research that was done was able to support what reality based sitcoms goals are
when it comes to were Mark Andrejevic and Susan Murray and Laurie Ouellette.
Mark Andrejevic book Reality TV: The Work of Being Watched. The main thing that
Andrejevic talked about was what is to do a reality-based sitcom. Andrejevic
stated “With the development of documentary film, recording the rhythm of daily
life… a way of presenting the lives of other people….the advent of the reality
genre takes place when documentary techniques are used not to document the
daily life of geographically and culturally remote peoples but to study the
lives of proximal, contemporary figures as representatives of typical-hence
real- people” (Andrejevic 65). From this quote showed that Mark Andrejevic idea
or goal of what is reality-based sitcom.
This quote supports the fact that reality-based sitcom deals with every
day people.
Discussion:
. Reality television
has come a long way since first starting out with reality based sitcoms. In
Mark Andrejevic book Reality TV: The Work of Being Watched stated that “The
turn to real families took place in 1973 with the release of the PBS series An
American Family” (Andrejevic 66). This quote shows that when it came to reality
based sitcoms it was first aired on the PBS network. The next reality-based
sitcom did not come directly after that
show had went off the air the next reality show aired in the year 2002.
Conclusion:
In
conclusion, when it comes to reality based sitcoms it is only one part of the
eight that makes up a reality television. The parts that actually make up reality
television are game docs, makeover
programs, talent contest, docusoaps, dating shows, court programs, tabloid
newsmagazine and last but not least reality based-sitcoms. The first reality
based sitcom was An American Family
that had aired in the year 1973. The
Osbournes reality based sitcom did not follow until the year 2002.
References:
Andrejevic,
M. (Ed.). (2004). Reality TV: The Work
of Being Watched. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield
Campbell,
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Nelson To Ozzy Osbourne. In Holmes, S., & Jernmyn, D. (Eds.), Understanding reality television ( pg 55). Psychology Press.
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Written By: Shaunise Stewart
