How does Hill define reality TV?

How does Hill define reality TV?

Hill (2005) starts his article off with a very broad definition of reality TV

“The catergory of reality TV is commonly used to describe a range of popular factual programming”

 And then goes on to talk about the types of features commonly used in reality TV.  However, he does go into talking about the difficulties of defining reality television stating that it is a diverse subject which is constantly changes. To help in defining reality TV he decides to look at how three other sectors that have tried in defining reality TV namely the television industry, scholars and audiences. However, although he looks at these three sectors he does seem to have a negative attitude for their definitions saying they are “contradictory” and contain “confusing terms” which may indicate that he does not fully agree with their definitions.

Television Industry

Hill states that the most traditional form of the television industries definition is that “reality TV is factual entertainment”. This means that reality TV is a hybrid of real life events and people and entertainment.   According to BBC there are six different categories that make up reality TV: documentaries and contemporary factual, specialist factual, current affairs and investigation, arts culture and life skills. However, Hill points out many times that the definition is changed loosely whenever it is beneficial.

Scholars

Scholars tend to define reality television in numerous ways many of which Hill included. The earliest of which being Richard Kilborn who defines it as “slice of life observational modes of documentary film making, fictional frama rooted in real life situations and also infotainment” a definition which it seems Hill seems to prefer to the other given ones. Hill again goes over how reality TV is to vast of a subject to cover when he talks about how scholars are in danger in of straying in the outer sections of the reality TV.

Audiences

To gain an audiences definition Hill looked at focus group discussions.  They came up with definitions such as “people programmes”, “fly on the wall stuff” and “public, real life sort of thing”. Hill stated a problem with this was finding a neutral category which he was seemly unable to do without confusing the focus group.

Conclusion

Hill concludes that there is no one definition of reality but rather many definitions that come to be called reality TV. He goes on to say that this is because there are too many components that make up reality TV such as genres and hybrids.

References

Hill, A. (2005) The reality genre. In A, Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. Oxon: Routledge