Page 92 - Complete_advanced_students_book_with_answers_Neat

Media matters
4 Read texts A–D quickly. What do you understand by
the following phrases?
&YUSBDU " the cult of instant celebrity
2 blatant self-promotion
a dumbed-down generation
&YUSBDU # operating without scripts
5 cynically manipulated
&YUSBDU $ 6 social glue The ethics of reality TV
7 ‘water cooler moments’
8 a cultural imperative Reality TV provokes a range of different reactions
&YUSBDU % 9 a meticulous selection process
5 Decide what each of these sentences means. Choose
either a or b.
Reality shows promote the belief that we should aspire
to be the reality stars we watch on our televisions.
(Extract A)
B Reality shows suggest to viewers that the stars of
their programmes are role models worth emulating.
C Reality shows want viewers to believe that they are
watching real people.
The unusual settings of shows like Big Brother do not
reduce the educational value of observing how the
contestants cope with their situation. (Extract B)
B There is not much that viewers can learn from Big
Brother and similar shows because contestants are
dealing with such unfamiliar situations.
C Viewers can learn from watching how contestants
manage, despite the fact that in Big Brother and
similar shows they are in unfamiliar surroundings.
The criticism that reality TV shows may corrupt viewers
is not sustainable. (Extract C)
B Reality TV shows can be justifi ably criticised for
corrupting viewers.
C It is impossible to criticise reality TV shows on the
grounds that they can corrupt viewers.
This situation is stage-managed by executives who
make money by attracting impressionable audiences.
(Extract D)
B TV managers manipulate this situation and make
money because they are able to get naïve viewers to
watch their shows.
C TV managers make money by staging shows which
impress viewers.
90
among commentators and viewers.
A
Although it’s impossible to ignore their popularity, it
seems to me that many reality shows send an unfortunate
message encouraging a cult of instant celebrity. Many
are built around blatant self-promotion and are based on
humiliating others for the entertainment of viewers. These
programmes suggest that anyone can become famous
simply by ‘being themselves’ on TV, without working
hard or displaying any talent. Children who watch these
shows may come to believe that they don’t need to study
conscientiously at school, or train hard for a job. As one
commentator points out, ‘We tell kids that what matters is
being a celebrity and we wonder why some behave as they
do. It seems to me that this addiction to celebrity culture
is creating a dumbed-down generation.’ In pretending
to imitate real life, reality shows promote the belief that
we should aspire to be the reality stars we watch on our
televisions.
B
One of the reasons so many people enjoy reality shows
is that they feature real people operating without scripts.
The fact that characters have been selected to encourage
disagreements or tension and then cynically manipulated
does not take away from the reality of the programmes;
in fact it adds to it. The unusual settings of shows like Big
Brother do not reduce the educational value of observing
how the contestants cope with their situation. In fact,
without such shows, most people would have little concept
of how a group of strangers would be able to survive,
co-operate and develop in such environments. As Time
Magazine describes it, ‘They provoke and offend, but at
least they are trying to do something besides helping
you get to sleep.’ This insight therefore into the human
condition is invaluable, and it is little surprise that so many
viewers are eager to watch these programmes.