It Isn't So Unreal For Young Viewers

When adults talk about reality TV, they seldom fail to put the word “reality” in quotation marks. Kids have a more credulous view of the genre, though. In a survey by Harris Interactive, in collaboration with the Center on Media and Child Health and Temple University, startlingly large numbers of pre-teens and even teens said reality TV is “just like real life” (see chart below). There’s also an aspirational element to the way kids view shows like American Idol, Fear Factor and Survivor.