The last 15 years or so have seen the rise of reality television from an occasional Road Rules or Real World episode on MTV to a seven nights a week blitzkrieg on the major television networks. Reality television has become one of the hottest trends in programming and most of the major networks now prefer to develop reality programming over the more traditional scripted sitcoms or dramas. Shows like Survivor, American Idol and Big Brother have consistently been some of the most highly rated television programs in history.

There are several reasons for this shift in focus from more traditional shows to what is known as reality television. One of the main reasons for this may relate to the fact that the cost of developing a reality series is much less than that of a more traditional series. This savings is due to the fact that the networks do not have to pay a team of writers and actors to produce the series. Since all of the “stars” are ordinary people there are no worries about actors or writers guilds and their union contracts.

But, why are these shows so popular with viewers around the world, as this phenomenon is not localized to the American people? Reality television may tap into our basest voyeuristic tendencies. The ability to get a rare glimpse into another person’s life especially that of a celebrity, allows people to see what life is like on the other side of the fence.

Reality television has become a staple form of programming for all of the major networks and most of the cable outlets as well. Their popularity is based on the savings attached to these types of shows from a production standpoint and the public’s fascination with seeing genuine interactions and conflicts between real people. Like it or not (which I don’t) reality television is most likely going to be a part of the television landscape for the foreseeable future.