- When Reality TV Gets Too Real by Jeremy W. Peters (pg. 239)
- Evaluative Response (pgs. 438 - 443)
What is Peters' argument in "When Reality TV Gets Too Real"? What key points does he make?
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
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What is Peters' argument in "When Reality TV Gets Too Real"? What key points does he make?
What is Peters' argument in "When Reality TV Gets Too Real"? What key points does he make?
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Jeremy W. Peters points out that reality shows like "intervention" are hard to make cases against because the subjects are in their homes and would have commited the act regardless of whether a cameras were there. He also points out that producers aren't are treated like witnesses and aren't legaly expected to intervene. Another point he made is that deciding to stop any dangerous acts is a moral issue and depends on the producer.
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ReplyDeleteJeremy W Peters in his "When Reality TV Gets Too Real" emphasizes the inconsistencies between the established law system and our moral values. According to our inner feelings to watch somebody doing some illegal things is compared to some form of our own participation in crime committing. Author points out the imperfectness of the justice system that literally allows those who witness the wrongdoings and, moreover do it for the profit purpose, to avoid a punishment.
Peters tried to evince the excesses in which they producers of reality shows are incurring. In his approaches he invites us to consider that these types of programs are sometimes unnecessary and immoral. I think he emphasizes the fact that the only aim of these programs is to increase their audience rating. On the other hand he presents negative consequences that have resulted from these programs and truly reprehensible attitudes on the part of those making the camera shots, which even lawfully can not be attacked. Indeed Peters makes us reflect on what unproductive, insensitive and irresponsible they are becoming.
ReplyDeletefrom what I understand Jeremy W. Peters main point is that these reality tv shows are crating more problems in trying to help the subject, like how the women that committed suicide because she was readdressed to her problems and made her feel bad, made her exaggeratedly aware of her bad appearance and she couldn't bear the pain and committed suicide. This in a way shows how the producers of the reality tv shows are staging a horrible outcome, in the name of fixing ones problem, and mainly for their own profit.
ReplyDeleteIn "When reality TV Gets too Real" BY Jeremey Peters points out that producers of these reality TV shows, for example intervention, in these peoples house just to do thiers job and regardless wheter the camera is there or the the person is still going to do these illegal acts. He believes thats these shows are done just for ratingd, and to stop any dangerous actions is completely up tp the producer and it should be illegal.
ReplyDeleteJeremy Peters argument in "when reality TV Gets too Real" is that although reality TV shows have no responsibility to take actions during the shows, there are obligations of morality that should be demonstrated. Key point that Peters makes is through an "intervening" action taken by Mr.Mettler, from reality TV show intervention. According to Mr.Mettler, he "talked" Tim, a drug addict, out of committing suicide in a swamp. Mr.Mettler took an action which wasn't part of the show; he was obligated to act accordingly by his moral code.
ReplyDeleteSome of the key points that Peter makes is how far will some of these reality show producers go to get good ratings. If there is something drastic that is about to happen while filming and there is a possibility that someone may be in danger of losing their lives will a camera person intervene. A lot of these reality shows are sensitive and there are a great deal of people who are experiencing hard times and they can related to shows like Intervention so it could help them or make it worse.
ReplyDeleteHis main argument was that the producers of the show did not make any efforts to step in and stop their subjects when it got too serious, just to get a publicity stunt and to boost popularity among viewers because that is how their money is made. As stated, some of these companies like CBS, had fingers pointed at them when the show Kid nation, had kids toiling in harsh conditions in the desert of New Mexico. But, the viewing for the show was astounding, attracting 9.1 million viewers. Who wouldn't take a risk?
ReplyDeleteAnother, was shown when the woman committed suicide on a show called extreme makeover, and got sued by her sister for "wrongful death". Some of the producers even stated not feeling good when they see these people going through these problems, "on intervention" like the alcoholic mom and her kids having to see their mother going through this. When was is at feelings and not about making money?
I believe that Peters' argument in "When Reality TV Gets Too Real" is that reality T.V is all about the ratings. They would let these people commit illegal crimes on camera and there excuse is that they would commit these acts even if the cameras where not there. They are not responsible and don’t have any legal obligations to interact, therefore there are not any legal ramifications. The statement made by O’Connor that the third party causing injury to a third party is something that a television program would not be responsible for. These reality shows hide behind these legal aspects of the law. A perfect example was a scene out of Intervention where a women who has a problem with alcohol gets behind the wheel of a car a manages to make a three point turn and drive in her vehicle after several attempt where made to convince her not to, but she refused and drove anyway.
ReplyDeleteI think the authour tried to express how the show business is really works esspecially such type of programs that he mentions here. In the first paragraph the case with an alcoholic person it says about him that nobody was trying to stop him from driving while he was drunk.And then when he already grabbed aditional vodka from refregirator voice from the camera start talking trying to stop i think it just was to defend themselves from from any issue against them. The main this that were filming her the persons driving unusual which could interest the people who watching there program. And later mantions in the topic that American law not requires anybody to intervene in order to stop any illegal activity which is going on. They using this to defend themselves from Law Prosecution
ReplyDelete“When Reality TV Gets Too Real” was a essay about television and how it has changed over the years. With passing time it has been apparent that other people’s lives are now an open book for all to see. Nothing is a secret anymore. I felt that the writer Jeremy W. Peters was trying to say that the producers that film the “drama” should be held accountable. There was an incident he mentions where a contestant on the show extreme make over, her sister committed suicide supposedly because she felt so bad for the names she had called her growing up. That was settled privately while they had no problems allowing a drunken woman to drive to possibly hurt herself or someone else. They according to the reading exploit people’s problems pain and hurt and not only is it morally wrong but it should also be against the law.
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