My Argument

I am going to be looking at the representation of women in reality TV programmes. For this, I am going to look at specific examples such as Made in Chelsea, The Only Way is Essex and Geordie Shore. And then as an opposite view of this representation I am going to look at Big Brother, and how it includes people from all over and not just from one specific area. This will give a wider area of research and will enable me to challenge stereotypes from these areas.
As part of my research and understanding of my chosen topic, I need to look at some theories that support or counteract my argument. The first theory that I am going to apply to my argument is the feminist theory. This examines women's social, experiences, interests and feminist politics. Some of the themes that are explored in this theory are discrimination, objectification (especially sexually) and stereotypes. An example of this would be in Made in Chelsea, especially, as the men often see the women as a prize to be won. This is particularly true when two men are involved and it becomes like a competition. However, a counter type of this would be Gemma from The Only Way is Essex. She is a very strong and independent woman, and is often the one to shoot men down and make them feel humiliated.
The second theory that I can apply to my argument is the uses and gratifications theory. This looks at how people's needs influence how they use and respond to the media. It also says that people use media texts for a variety of reasons, these are; information, personal identity, integration and social interaction, and entertainment. The audiences of reality TV programmes watch because they may be able to identify with the characters on screen. As human beings, we are interested in how other people live, whether if they are rich or poor. So watching reality TV programmes allows the audience to see how a different group of people in the UK live. They may also get enjoyment from this.
For my line of production I am going to look at creating a TV magazine interview for a new reality TV programme. This new programme will go against the typical norms that are expected of reality TV. This interview will cover all of the ins and outs whilst being persuasive and informative.
To conclude, the final question for my topic of choice will be "Why are women often misrepresented in reality TV?"