The Resonating Effects Of The Reality Shows- How They Influence Kids

By Divya Narang:

Indian television industry is now full of reality shows and most of the shows have become controversial due to some scenes or episodes which abuses the traditional and cultural values of the country. Different people have different viewpoints on this but the impact of these reality shows can be seen today. Reality programmes revolve around competitions or celebrities’ lives. They seek to create entertainment from the uncertainty of “unscripted” moments or events.

With the increase in number of reality shows, its impact is also increasing. Effect of these shows is more on children than the religious programmes as it interprets the real life situation. Reality is made basically for adults and without proper knowledge and understanding, children can be misled by it. Children who are left to watch these shows on television can often be baffled at the display and can take them as behavior expected out everyone, especially themselves and their peers.

Even children notice how people do planning and plotting against each other to win the prize. And they have the habit of imitating, especially adults. Watching these shows might have a negative impact on them and they can pick up acts of violence, false identifications, lying, cheating, abusing, and ditching their own family and friends.

It is useless to say, focusing on limiting the exposure on kids of television is good start to prevent reality TV from “taking over” in our house. We need to make our children understand that reality shows are decidedly not reality.

Reality shows to find the best singers, best dancers, best comedians, best quizzers and even shows to find the luck of a person have captured the minds of persons. Almost all the languages in India and almost every channel in the country will have their own reality shows.

With Big Boss and Swayamvar ruling the TRP ratings, it is time to analyze the consequences of these shows. Big Boss is just a fake show, so is the much hyped Roadies show on MTV. The contestants in these shows are encouraged to use the bad words which directly or indirectly impact the viewers. Such shows inculcate a degrading personality among the youth of the country. Children get affected far worse due to this. Moral aspects are left out and an India with morally degrading youth is on the verge of emergence.

The need for special boards to stop such vulgarities in the television seems to be the need of the hour. Let us make our old Mahabharata and Ramayana to come back. Though boring, it can instill values amongst the youth and children. The acceptance of western culture among the youth can be widely being attributed to these shows which dignify the western culture.

Disclaimer: Author’s views are her own.