As any reality TV watcher knows, the best reality TV shows came out in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
While reality TV had been around for some time before then, this was when its popularity exploded.
Not only that, but reality TV stars of the time period became mainstream celebrities, known purely for their appearances on shows like “Jersey Shore” and “The Real World.”
Some of the most iconic names in pop culture, including the likes of Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton come from reality TV shows.
For me, the most exciting thing about reality TV is that these are real people that you can follow along with, even when the show is not airing. Therefore, the storylines never truly end.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, people kept up with reality TV celebrities through the paparazzi, tabloids and news interviews.
This allowed reality TV watchers a glimpse into the lives of reality stars, which were often messy and unfiltered.
After the rise of social media in the 2010s, most reality TV stars are followed through their social media where they post aspects of their lives practically 24/7.
While social media gives fans more access, it’s not the kind that creates good reality TV.
To me, the best part about reality TV is that it is real. The characters are complex and sometimes come off as annoying, illogical and even mean.
This happens because reality TV stars don’t have control over the narrative that is portrayed. Reality TV stars often aren’t able to control how they are edited or perceived by an audience.
And before the rise of social media, they had little control over how the media portrayed them as well.
The issue with social media becoming such a big part of the reality TV sphere is that the stars now have total control over how they’re portrayed. They are able to curate an image of themselves and their lives that is completely untrue.
And the control over their image doesn’t end on social media. Some reality TV stars are now even becoming the producers of their own shows.
For example, the Kardashian family has become executive producers of their show, “The Kardashians,” where they have control over their storylines and what is shown to the audience.
Another way influencer culture has impacted reality TV is that many people now enter reality television with the hope of making social media their job.
Oftentimes, they are so focused on making an image they think will gain them fame, they aren’t being their true selves.
A great example of this is the recent season of “Love Island.” Contestants on season six of “Love Island” gained millions of followers, a spin-off show and a ton of publicity from their season.
Going into it, the season six stars were not expecting to gain that much publicity, as most “Love Island” contestants only gained a moderate amount of attention.
However, season seven contestants knew they would gain popularity and their actions reflected that.
People coupled up with people they expected to be favored by America and were more careful about how they spoke and acted while in the villa in order to protect their image.
While both seasons were entertaining, I think it is a perfect example of how social media is taking away the authenticity of reality television.
Another issue I have with the rise of social media, is that many shows are now cast based on follower count.
Even shows like “Survivor” and “Big Brother,” which are famous for casting regular, everyday people, are now casting based on followers.
It’s disappointing because there are so many interesting and fun people in the world with a low social media follower count that would be exciting to watch on television, who aren’t given the chance because influencers potentially bring in viewers.
While influencers may bring their audience to a show, they often come into it with an agenda, and it’s usually not to be authentic or contribute to exciting television.
In my opinion, influencer culture has taken away the best parts of reality TV and has turned it into a place for people to curate their own brand.
I don’t expect this to change any time soon, as both social media and reality television are growing bigger every year, but as a reality TV lover, it’s disheartening to see so many of my favorite shows become purely a platform to launch influencer careers.