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'Reality TV' has been quite the buzz word within the entertainment industry over the past few years with new shows springing up on what seems to be a continual basis. These shows such as Big Brother, The Apprentice and Celebrity Love Island to name but a few are watched and enjoyed by millions of people and have turned 'Reality TV' into a hugely lucrative industry. Although the masses of viewers would suggest that these shows are incredibly and increasingly popular, many have been subjected to quite scathing remarks from the media and general public. The concept that I propose is that it isn't necessarily the shows which the scathing remarks are directed towards but more the title given to the genre. Has 'Reality TV' gone beyond what would be considered real by the majority? Has 'Reality TV' become a danger by pushing the boundaries of entertainment to the limit?

Firstly, many people seem to be taken the term Reality TV' far too literally. I continually see comments about these shows commenting on their distance from true reality. However, perhaps a more apt genre title would be TV that uses people who are not already celebrities to provide 'entertainment in real world scenarios,' a lengthy title perhaps but closer to what the shows are actually about. If TV shows were to truly portray reality how would a show like The Apprentice operate successfully? In short, it wouldn't. Who wants to watch a load of people having a quick interview to maybe assess their CV, ask a few questions about strengths and weaknesses and if lucky, the chance to show off how much they have researched the company on Google? The Apprentice is there to entertain, not to portray reality. Just think logically, these interviewees are asked to perform tasks in retailing, marketing, advertising, accounting, selling, purchasing, presenting and any other ing' you can think of! What 'real' person would apply for a job with that in the specification? There is a strong case for 'Reality TV' simply being a misinterpreted genre.

Big Brother is possibly seen as the biggest ever 'Reality TV' phenomenon. There are a number of factors when considering the reality value offered by Big Brother. Ok, so first, is it possible for anybody to act as what is generally considered as real' in front of video cameras. In an environment where millions of people are watching you I think any psychologist would confirm that reality is somewhat skewed. On the other hand, many of the emotions that arise in Big Brother

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