Distortion of Reality in Television Programs

Essay by desiresx3Junior High, 9th grade April 2008

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To what extent have the composers of ANTM distort reality?The composers of Australia’s Next top Model(ANTM) have distorted reality to the extent that some situations are exaggerated, contestants personalities are moulded to fit the stereotypical images created by the composers and the “reality” show is edited for the purpose of entertainment using many different techniques. However, the show does contain elements of reality.

ANTM is a reality TV program about thirteen girls who undergo various tasks and are then eliminated one by one until finally, we have Australia’s next top model. This program shows a slightly distorted reality through the use of many different techniques, which are shown continuously over both series I and II.

Editing and sound techniques are used in both series I and II to mould the opinion of the audience about each character. In series I editing was used many times to mould the opinion of the audience into thinking that Hiranthi was essentially a lazy “princess.”

This idea of Hiranthi being a lazy princess was shown many times through the use of editing for example, in one shot Hiranthi was shown doing her make-up and then straight afterwards we get another shot of all the girls cleaning up the house. This sequence shows a distortion of reality as it was not necessary that Hiranthi was doing her make-up while the other girls were cleaning up. It is quite possible that after doing her part in the cleaning up she then decided to do her make-up. This is a distortion of reality as the composer has not only created and reinforced stereotypical image of Hiranthi being a lazy princess while moulding the audience’s opinion at the same time. He or she has also told only one side of the story.

The composers do a lot...