The big bosses of television

REALITY BITES

Families like to sit and watch talent hunt shows while the youth prefers to watch the more unsettling and outlandish shows.

 Metrolife speaks to a few people to find out why youngsters get attracted to the crude content of reality shows.

Counsellor Shabari Bhattacharyya explains, “The concept of ‘crudeness’ is defined by existing societal norms. But it also varies from person to person. The youngsters who watch these shows may not see what is transpiring on TV as ‘crude’ but may instead consider it to be ‘fun’ or ‘cool’. Teenagers can also be attracted to these shows due to the fact that they challenge society and their elders’ views of what is acceptable.”

TV shows like Emotional Atyachaar, Splitsvilla and Bigg Boss have unsettling content that not everyone would like to watch. But youngsters simply love them.

Says Vinita Shah, another counsellor, “Given that most reality shows have crude content, youngsters are drawn to watching them. One reason could be the pure thrill of seeing something sensational. Reality shows tend to give them a kick and beyond a point, these show can become addictive.” The youngsters, in a way, get influenced by the happenings in reality shows.

While they may not copy everything shown to them on these shows, it may affect them in the long run.

With the rising content of Western shows and their culture seeping into the youth’s mentality, they might imitate the figures they see on television.

Priyanka, a student, explains, “The youth are street smart and they believe that they get this smartness from reality shows. They believe in being more shrewd and smart because they don’t want to be left behind. They know that reality shows are scripted yet they believe in them and think this is how the world is. In shows like Emotional Atyachaar, when a girl is shown slapping a guy, the TRPs go high.”

Youngsters are also inspired watching the participants on these shows battle it out.

Says Rugved, another student, “Apart from the thrill they get out of watching these shows, the youth watch these to become smarter. Today, the times have changed. The youngsters are maturing before time and are more street smart now. They have even come to accept the fact that the world is mean.”

Times have indeed changed and youngsters are learning new ways and methods to live in today’s world. Looks like getting hooked to reality shows is one of them.