Reality Tv and the Marxist theory

Marxist reading of current Reality TV:

The public are just slaves to the media because we watch the products that they produce.

Reality TV is capable of creating moral panics and issues that are not relevant this signifies that they have the upper hand because they are able to create something out of nothing.

Marxist thinkers claim that the media legitimizes the dominant beliefs and ideas and a capitalist system i.e: the unbalance of life is shown as natural, entertainment is unchallenging of this ideology therefore encourages passivity.

i.e: the apprentice is a reality TV show where people compete in order to receive a cash prize from Sir Alan Sugar. Sir Alan Sugar is the the person in charge and he decision who goes out "your fired" and who wins "your hired".

One participant form the junior apprentice (Lucinda) did not beg, nor ask for the job therefore she thought she had what it took too win. She was capable and upfront and also confident. this whole concept broke the rule for reality t.v. therefore she was going against the conventions of a reality t.v.

Lucinda was not conforming to the Marxist way of thinking (the producers and the media have the upper hand and the public have to do what they say). Marx believed that the most powerful force in society was the economic self interest of the dominant social class. therefore people whom where economically secure and had money were seen as dominant.

Reality t.v is the most watched genre in TV it is successful due to the use of the public and celebrities also people who are known throughout society (Sir Alan Sugar).

Th whole idea of this programme have such a wide range of audiences shows that marx was right.