Table of Contents
Introduction 7
1 Reality Television Benefits Society More than Scripted Television Does Michael Hirschorn 11
2 Reality TV Has Lowered Standards for Television and Society as a Whole James Wolcott 19
3 Producers Sometimes Distort Reality and Undermine the Value of Reality TV Andy Dehnart 29
4 Attention-Seeking Participants Create Hollow Reality Characters Jonathan Murray 34
5 How a "Real Housewives" Suicide Sheds Light on Exploitation in Reality TV Stephen Galloway 39
6 Reality TV Helps Bring Diversity to Television Greg Braxton 52
7 Reality TV Stereotypes Minority Groups Brian Lowry 57
8 Reality TV Presents Rural Americans as Skilled and Serious Workers Robert Lloyd 61
9 Reality TV Shows Perpetuate Stereotypes about Southerners Karen L. Cox 65
10 Reality TV Can Empower Women Susannah Breslin 70
11 Reality TV Intentionally Subverts Social Progress and Gender Equality Jennifer L. Pozner 73
12 Reality TV Kids Need the Law on Their Side Hilary Levey 80
13 Reality TV Producers Should Be Responsible for Participant Well-Being Linda Holmes 84
Organizations to Contact 90
Bibliography 97
Index 101