The following post on the website Australian Teachers of Media, explores how the "reality TV" genre is constructed to reinforce society's dominant values.
Skills: Empathises
Audience: Years 5-8
Submitted by: Catherine Mottee and Kelly Riley
Resource description:
This video looks at the phenomena of reality TV and the tricks that are used to manipulate the emotions of viewers. In particular, the use of music and video techniques.
Teaching and learning ideas:
Audience: Years 5-8
Submitted by: Catherine Mottee and Kelly Riley
Resource description:
This video looks at the phenomena of reality TV and the tricks that are used to manipulate the emotions of viewers. In particular, the use of music and video techniques.
Teaching and learning ideas:
- Brainstorm different reality TV shows and discuss the format.
- Explore the feeling of having your every move watched and filmed, especially knowing that there will be feedback on you via social media – how would that impact what you say and do? Would you behave differently? How do you think others would react to you? Why?
- Discuss how being filmed may affect the behaviour of contestants.
- Explore how music and other techniques are used to elicit empathy in reality TV show viewers. Use this as a lead-in to discussions about empathy in intercultural communication, particularly the differences in our experiences of the same event.
- Use the Empathises question card to prompt discussion, e.g. How would the experience make you feel? Would everyone react in the same way? Why may others react differently? How can our experiences shape our actions?