by Carol Gioia

Created on: June 14, 2007   Last Updated: May 09, 2012

Through television viewing we have the opportunity to be entertained, educated, and edified. Unfortunately, the media does not maximize this opportunity. Instead, we are inundated with reality gone awry. The quality of television viewing is not enhanced or improved by reality shows.

Reality shows neither entertain nor educate. They are the lowest form of creativity. The first reality show was entertaining because it was a new concept. Network ratings increased and so did the copycats.

Suddenly every channel is featuring staged reality, and we end up channel hopping in frustration, attempting to escape from "Pseudo Reality" land. There are shows that mock their contestants, parade out their heartache for our supposed "entertainment" and blatantly ridicule and make fun of real people, all in the name of better ratings. The few good reality shows get lost in the shuffle.

There are the real judges, the fake judges (always one rude one, with an English accent)and, of course, pay your money and judge from home. How sad to have such a great technological medium as television reduced to such a low.

The powers that be in television land should not assume, because ratings are up there, everyone is enjoying the poor fare. Lately, it would seem, that's the only programming available for viewing.

When the commercials are more entertaining than the actual television shows, that is a clue something is wrong with the "picture." Whether the problem is low budget, lack of talented writers or shortage of story lines, the television networks need to find a solution to the inferior viewing selections. When we pick up that remote and click on the television set, we want to escape from reality. The only reality we want to see is on the daily news, and more and more celebrity watching is ifiltrating that sector of reality.

Wouldn't we all just like to turn on our television in the evening and be entertained, educated and edified. Oh, to see good drama and comedy written with originality and creativity we can admire.

If there is a lack of creative writers, why not run some of the myriad good movies from the past. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of films that did not win academy awards, but are nevertheless worthy entertainment. Instead of being available, they are locked away in some Hollywood vault, never again to see the light of day.

We are left to wonder why just a limited number of movies are repeated again and again?

The major networks need to reevaluate their goals, stop copying each other, and present programs of value, to uplift us from reality. I guarantee, ratings would soar, and we would all agree "That's entertainment"!

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