Reality Squared: Televisual Discourse on the Real

Through the 1980s and 90s, the television industry and its critics have identified and promoted the re-emergence of "reality-based" television, This type of programming has come to play a major role in both production decisions and network strategy. At the beginning of the 21st century, viewers' desire for "reality TV" shows no signs of diminishing, as evidenced by the rise of programmes including "Survivor". Although debates concerning the relationship between representational media and reality have occupied scholars and artists for quite some time, few books have examined the subject. This text, then, examines the representation of reality within the squared televisual viewing frame, as well as the exponential growth of these representational programmes on broadcast and cable TV, and beyond, to the worldwide web. The contributors approach the issues surrounding television and reality from a wide range of theoretical and methodological perspectives. Topics include the internet, the impact of global news events, weather predictions of the Weather Channel, and the representation of criminality on "America's Most Wanted".
The diverse volume aims to contribute to the ongoing conversation about reality and representation, history and fiction, text and context, and the "inside" and "outside" of the box we call television.