Media often dictates the human mind. It shows ideas that only a fool should believe but twists it so much that the most practical people fall for the trap of dynamic creativity. Script writers and movie directors take the unfortunate lives of ordinary people, take them out of context, and turn them into famous stories, putting the person on a higher level than they should. The men and women who are guiding the media industry thrive on turning miserable lives into extreme entertainment for the world to see. The way these people are shown in the spotlight after countless hours of editing is harsh, belligerent and just plain ignorant. The public's distress on alcoholics, teenage pregnancies, and all-out brawls have changed from trying to find help for the victim to calling A&E, CBS, MTV, and ABC to create a new hit Reality TV show. It also influences people by emphasizing the things of the world which would be better if left unseen. In a moral sense, anyone witnessing a person about to do an act to endanger the lives of themselves or others should attempt to stop the action or notify someone with more power. Producers increase story lines much like a gossip spreads news.
The insensitive way that producers treat the victims of bad choices is so drastic that the film crew of A&E's Intervention won't intervene when the intoxicated person, who is their subject, gets behind the wheel of a car and can barely keep it between the yellow lines of the road, as discussed by Jeremy Peters. They get in the minds of the viewers by throwing in an off-camera voice offering to drive, knowing that the alcoholic would turn it down and drive anyway. The crew follows behind her, catching on tape her lack of ability to keep the vehicle steady in the lane. Instead of stopping her and taking over, they simply allow it to happen with the knowledge of the consequences of drunk driving. As time progresses, "producers and networks have increasingly pushed the boundaries of television voyeurism in search of another ratings hit" (Peters). No matter how resilient to alcoholic beverages a person is, getting behind the wheel of a vehicle under the influence of liquor will put the wasted individual and any witnesses in a huge amount of danger. That being said, the law says nothing about interfering to save someone or stopping a person with criminal intent. However, with more and more deaths from drunk driving each year, no parent would agree that these shows are harmless and they would not want their child filmed if the producers won't interfere.
Other television series depict respectable people as people of lesser stature in comparison to those who don't appear on TV. Teen Mom on MTV shows teenage couple who have children and ultimately face the world with no preparation. Brittany Truett, a star from the hit TV show, "though being on Teen Mom was a catalyst" for a fight between Brittany and her former friend, Janelle Evans (Canning). Producers want their actors to be so dramatic that real relationships, whether it be intimate or not, turn bad with a high possibility of police involvement. Jersey Shore's Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola and Ronnie Ortiz-Magro broke up after a fight on camera and "Ortiz-Magro trashing Giancola's bedroom and screaming, 'I hate your more than [beep] anybody I've ever hated in my entire [beep] life!'" (Canning). Both of these examples so the extreme situations, we all know of someone getting pregnant too young or know couples who have fights but how often do we actually see people with the same struggles as those we see on TV?
Some shows, on the other hand, such as MTV's Real World, give each participant a reason to be respectful towards other members because they can and will get sent home for bad behavior (Canning). Still, "people's perception of reality is altered when they watch these shows" (Canning). Meaning that no matter how "morally, politically or socially correct" the show is, each one tells its viewers that the actions done by the actors and actresses is socially acceptable in today's immature society.
Jayde Nicole was a star on MTV's The Hills and Bravo's Holly's World; she says she is "forever marked the instigator who has all the sexy friends and stirs up trouble" (Canning). The producers take the initiation to bump up the drama. They force actors to be extreme in their shows or they won't end up on camera. "When you sign a contract for reality TV it's like you have sold your soul" (Canning).
Producers are like the parrots of the media industry with the lies growing larger and larger. They turn a reality show into a scripted playwright. They get a big head for money, fame, and rating without the slightest sympathy for the lives they ruin. In all, Reality TV has become a contest for producers to be number one in the industry.
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