The New Reality – Remaking The TV Landscape

“The recent flood of reality programs such as ‘American Idol,’ `Joe Millionaire’ and `The Bachelorette’ and the number of viewers they are drawing is unprecedented. They are pulling in young people who had drifted to cable or their home computers, revitalizing the ratings fortunes of both ABC and Fox and – in some cases – putting a serious dent in the viewership for well-established comedies and dramas. The shows have become such a cultural phenomenon in this country.”