Reality TV: The New Reality?

Tuesday 3 April 2007, Southbank Centre, Purcell Room, 7pm

Television is the nation's biggest canvas. This event tackles the critical issues on a genre that has come to inform every area of television, popular culture, art and even politics, while also engaging the public in a debate about where it should be taking us in the future.

The panel includes Jade Goody, George Galloway MP, Reverand Richard Moy, ITV executive Layla Smith and Big Brother Producer Tim Hincks. The session will be chaired by the broadcaster and journalist Matthew Wright.

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Comments

[dilek doyran]

wonder new trend for reality tv?

[sybilo]

I hope we can expect more than this from the New South Bank.

I would rather throw my money away than pay to hear Jade Goodie and George Galloway. Furthermore, I think reality TV is the curse of the century and accounts for 90% of the agressive behavious we all encounter these days.

[Ralph Rugoff]

Reality TV, like it or not, is having a persuasive impact on mass media culture in the 21st century. It's a format that is now being developed globally. The point of this debate is to bring this kind of phenomenon into the realm of public discussion and thought and to give people in the audience, as well as those on the platform, an opportunity to consider its impact and how it can be changed. The panel is looking at Reality TV's impact on all levels - from those who watch the show to those who participate in them such as Jade Goody and George Galloway. We need to take seriously the desires that these shows appeal to and think about them rather than turn our backs on them.
Ralph Rugoff, Director, Hayward Gallery

[Ben]

I disagree with sybilo, I think this is exactly the kind of thing Southbank Centre should be doing.

As Ralph says Reality TV is having (or has had) a huge effect on mass media culture. There are obvious parallels with other cultural events in history, some of Hogarths work and public hanging springs to mind, and we need institutions like Southbank Centre to discuss and debate these issues.

[Amelia Torode]

I think that the idea that the Southbank which is supposed to be about culture (high-brow, low-brow and no-brow) should avoid topics like this is just misguided. Like it or not Reality has changed the way that we fundamentally live our lives. There was a great article in NY Magazine back in Jan, about the Death of Privacy. Essentially it was about US teens and about how EVERYTHING is shared online. The author's husband is also a journlaist and talks about a new culture of Radical Transparency, of which I think Reality TV is a part of it.

[Liz Scofield]

I think it's fascinating that so many people claim to hate reality tv and yet it consistently pulls in huge ratings... we're all reluctant addicts, perhaps voyeurism is just a part of human nature we don't want to admit to. Will the event be filmed or audio recorded for release as a podcast or on the 100 Ideas website? Would love to attend but have to work unfortunately...

[Amelia]

Just come back from it and will blog about it later tonight - my initial feeling was that this debate actually failed to deliver and I think that it did so because it was an un-balanced panel. Everyone with the exception of Rev Richard were in favour of reality TV and putting forward strong arguments in its favour. It was only when the debate opened up to the floor that interesting, confrontational other opinions were aired and not enough time was left for them. Real shame. At the end this URL also could have been highlighted so that people could have carried on the debate online. I will come to others, but this one missed the mark for me I am afraid to say

[A Viewer Trust me]

The reality was Tim Hincks Creative Director of Endemol trivalised at every opportunity and came across as saying one thing and doing someting else as Richard Moy said he was the only one on the panel who'd not made money from reality shows. Layla,Alternative Programs ITV started by pointing out reality shows were out of documentaries.

Tim Hincks made the point he produces entertainment shows for maximum appeal. Is it the use of word 'reality' that is wrong? Should light entertainment types be producing a programme that according to Channel 4 is factual?

George Galloway's assertion that the shows are very democratic because the public decides, shows he hasn't thought of tactical voting by viewers or the producers making it a 'for' or 'against' vote.

Jade asked if Crimewatch was considered a reality show.

As I said maybe the use of the word 'reality' to describe programmes such as I'm A Celebrity, Big Brother, X Factor is misleading.

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