controversy regarding reality television and the way that it portrays society. As a social scientist, one needs to acknowledge that reality television is largely providing the masses with a fabricated version of the real world. Even with the fact that individuals shown on such programs appear to live their lives as if no one is actually watching them, the truth is that they are significantly influenced by the fact that they are filmed and they are thus inclined to put across behaviors they would not perform otherwise.

Reality television was especially effective from a sociological point-of-view during its early years, taking into account that it portrayed individuals in natural environments. PBS' 1973 show An American Family is a positive example of reality television because of how it documented the life of the Loud family. The show actually managed to provide viewers with important information concerning the family and concerning particular...
[ View Full Essay]