Reality TV: A surprisingly quick history

Reality television is a rather broad term and you might be surprised at how far back it goes, even though the term mostly emerged in the 2000s. Here is a quick history of reality TV, according to New York-based TV production guy Steve Sorensen.

Image source: Starcasm.net
It can be remembered that one of the popular reality TV programs that came out was shown in the late 1940s, when Allan Funt launched Candid Camera and charmed millions of TV viewers. The show featured pranks and humorous acts being pulled on unknown people on the streets. Following its footsteps were modern programs such as America’s Funniest Home Videos and Punk’d on MTV channel.

Image source: YouTUbe.com
Other early favorites include the Miss America Pageant in the early 1950s, along with the Family Feud and Amateur Hour. Contest-based reality shows are still a massive hit today, from the exhilarating adventures on Survivor to the drama on Top Chef. Who would neglect to mention American Idol, one of the biggest contest-themed reality TV shows to ever hit the country?

It should be noted, however, that a first-of-its-kind TV show aired in the 1970s in the form of An American Family, a 12-hour documentary series that followed the Loud family of Santa Barbara, California for a seven-month period. It showed one dramatic life event after another, and even served as a commentary of America’s most pressing issues at that time (the American dream included).

Reality TV, Steve Sorensen noted, may be accused of being scripted or varying levels of dishonesty to its audience. But it is safe to say that it is closely in touch with the reality of its era, mirroring the many different realities that pervade life in America and its audiences’ deepest desires, channeled through the TV screen.

Steve Sorensen works as part of a production team for television commercials. He is a photographer and filmmaker based in New York. Learn more about his work on this page.

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