Reality Shows: Are They for Real?

Reality shows have become a huge part of India's television screens. It allows the audience to be part of the show along with providing entertainment value via celebrity judges and controversies that arise due to the interactions of contestants on screen.

Most reality shows that are aired on TV now choose the winner through an SMS voting system. For each elimination episode, the shows call for the general public to vote for their favorites, the contestant with the most votes get to stay on the show while those at the bottom are considered for elimination - or so we are lead to believe.

Eliminations are filled with tears and smiles - the nerve wracking tension, the pleas of contestants to let them remain on the show and the "tough decisions" to be made by the judges seem to satiate the hungry minds of the television watching public. And with the person being eliminated in each round being given a free hand to express his or her views and to vent and rant, there is absolutely no dearth of drama and entertainment.

Since reality shows cater to public tastes so much it begs the question, are they for real? It is only natural to wonder how much of these shows are real and how much of it is staged. The SMS voting system to determine the winner usually comes under much fire especially when the contestants who seem to popular are suddenly voted out. The credibility of the voting system is often questioned, but what really happens behind the scenes is known only to the insiders.

Reality shows are seen as the fast gateway to fame and stardom. They put a hitherto unknown person in the spotlight within just a matter of hours. The shows also bring out latent qualities in the contestants and prove to be a grooming ground.

The contestants always emerge with significant changes to their personality and the viewing public sees the changes in them. They also get a chance to interact with celebrities who are part and parcel of the show either as judges or as guests. Contestants consider themselves privileged to learn and be groomed by seasoned professionals.

There is no denying the fact that reality shows do help contestants in a big way either in personality development or sometimes even by giving them a big break. But the shows also attract a lot of criticism. They are often accused of trading on the emotions for TRP ratings.

Reality shows also come under fire when contestants are required to perform certain acts on stage even when they are clearly not very good at it. The comments of the judges can sometimes be scathing even though the intention may be to honestly express their opinion and to help point out the flaws in the contestant's performance. The credibility of the selection as well as the elimination process is also something that is not very clear to the general public.

For those who cannot get enough of reality TVand are curious about what goes on behind the scenes of the world's biggest reality shows - including Indian Idol, the novel Überstar by the Australian author Vaughn Alaine-Marshall provides an in depth view on the reality behind reality TV.

The book is a must read for all reality TV show aspirants and viewers. Whether you are just curious about the behind the scenes or you are dying to get onstage, Überstar will give you a great deal of pertinent information which may help you make the right decisions and the right strategies to succeed when you do make it to the big show…


Author Bio:
Australian author Vaughn Alaine-Marshall releases Überstar from Hendlin Books, an explosive look at the reality television. Based largely on reality shows such as American Idol, India has Talent and other successful reality shows. The author's research included interviews with participants, producers and insiders from the world's largest reality television shows. for more: http://www.uberstarthebook.com.au/