Reality television has become a popular trend within today’s media, due to its high ratings and low production cost. Though ratings on reality shows have been consistently high, there is a clear distinction on what makes a reality show more or less compelling to watch not all. After analyzing two highly rated reality shows: America’s Next Top Model and American Idol, the show American Idol was determined the better reality show due to its ability to maintain a regular audience, which America’s Next Top Model was unable to do. Two specific factors seemed to cause the audience to either continue watching or discontinue watching these reality shows: structural consistency and alteration.
Structural consistency is important in reality shows; it guides the viewers. For example, on American Idol, every season has had a similar structure: initial auditions, cuts, contests among the remaining singers, and then the final cuts, where all of America can vote for their favorite singer(s). America’s Next Top Model also has structural consistency: auditions, weekly competitions and eliminations, and then a runway show “face-off” between the last two contestants that which panel of judges evaluates and then decides who “America’s next top model” is. Since both these shows have a general structural consistency that views can rely on, both shows remain popular.
However, it is the lack of alteration in the structural consistency that creates the marginal difference between the popularity of the two shows. Comparing the first season of American Idol to the current season, the consistent structure has remained the same: still starts with auditions, ends with America voting for its winner. But since the first season, there have been alterations in the competitions that each contestant must undertake. For example, unlike season one, the current season has its contestants both sing and play instruments for one of their competitions. Also, the show varies the categories of music that its contestants can choose from during the competition (i.e. during one season the contestants were restricted to music written in the 70’s. while in another contestants could only choose from 80’s classics).
The lack of alteration of structure is America’s Next Top Model is what restricts the show from maintaining a regular audience. Since the first season, and continuing throughout every season, the structure and the contests have remained fairly similar. In both the first season and the current season of the show, there has been a contest where contestants had meet and greet a certain amount of fashion designers in a limited amount of time. Also, in both seasons, contestants were required to attend a celebrity party so that the judges could evaluate their behavior around other mega-stars.
“I mix up what season is being played,” says Susan Curtis, a regular viewer of America’s Next Top Model. “Basically, it’s the same show every season; just different faces.”
How could America’s Next Top Model be improved? Altering the contests that the contestants must overcome, like American Idol has, could help the reality show escape the redundant structural rut it is in and may aid the show in maintaining a regular audience.
Even if popular, not all reality shows are equal. Structural consistency and alteration play a huge roll in how popular a reality show is. Both have to be used together, and even a slight lack of one or the other can reflect on the overall popularity of the show.
Sources:
About American Idol (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2008, from http://www.americanidol.com/about/
America's Next Top Model (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2008, from http://www.cwtv.com/shows/americas-next-top-model
Curtis, Susan. Personal interview. 12 Feb. 2008.
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