Exploring Reality TV's Impact and Government Media Influence

This discussion post delves into the impact and influence of reality television, questioning its authenticity and exploring its potential positive and negative effects on viewers. It examines the use of popular media by foreign powers to influence emotional climates and political landscapes, highlighting instances of governments using media for political messaging and norms engineering. The discussion further considers the potential for future conflicts to be waged via media rather than active combat, emphasizing the media's ability to distort facts and fuel hate-mongering. It concludes by advocating for critical consumption of media and balanced self-education. The post also references external sources to support its arguments.

REALITY TELEVISION
What are your thoughts on reality TV?
Reality television is a fast-growing genre which portrays unscripted and seemingly real-life situation on
TV. Personally, I always felt that it was fake, and was a waste of time, as it had no value add except
gossip, and that the time used to watch it could be spent productively.
Did you ever notice that it could have the power to change the way people think about the world
or have a positive impact on people’s lives?
Although I do not have a high opinion on reality television, I have not written it off completely.
However, I have surely felt that reality TV does have a positive impact on many people who could
relate to themselves in situations portrayed on it. However, I am still skeptical about the authenticity of
the shows.
After listening to the podcast
Has your view of reality TV changed?
My views on reality TV shows have improved, and even though many shows are simply fake, some are
genuine enough to create a great impact in one's life (Invisibilia, 2018).
How do you feel about “foreign powers using popular media to influence the emotional climate
and therefore the politics of another country?”
It is indeed the sad reality, where egoistic institutions' power is used to control and manipulate innocent
people, especially those who have nothing to do with it.
Have you noticed any other instances of governments using the media to influence outcomes in
another country?
Political agendas, manifestos, direct and indirect political messaging are being done by governments by
using the media as a major influence. With the emergence of social media, this has become a world-
wide trend (West, 2017).
What positive impact could this kind of norms engineering have?

Norms engineering can educate the target audience it wants to, and make people view things from an
alternate perspective. If the cards are played well, it could be a win-win situation.
What negative impacts could it have?
The major problem of norms engineering is that it can brainwash people into thinking in one way, by
repeated hate mongering and providing a distorted view of reality, thus manipulating others into
achieving what the authorities want, rather than what they want.
Do you think that future conflicts will be fought more often via media rather than via active
combat?
Yes. It is a known fact that the media has an uncanny ability to distort and conceal facts, without
portraying the truth as it is. This might add fuel to the fire, resulting in unwanted hate-mongering. It
would be much better off if all people started taking what the media says with a pinch of salt, and
educate themselves in a balanced way.
REFERENCES
West, D. M. (2017). Air Wars: Television Advertising and Social Media in Election Campaigns, 1952-
2016. CQ Press.
Invisibilia (Producer). (2018, March 16). The Other Real World. [Audio podcast]. Retrived from
https://www.npr.org/2018/03/16/593869717/podcast-the-other-real-world