Reading Response 3/8- Digital and Reality Television

Television is swiftly moving into a direction of complete user autonomy. Up until recent years, television was classified as one platform with an array of channels, and there was little choice the viewers had other than what channel they chose to watch. The characteristics of television have transformed greatly, and there is no longer one concise definition as to what television is. The emergence of streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime are rapidly taking the place of channels and cable packages, and users are now able to have complete control as to what they watch and how they watch it. The article The Future of T.V: Digital, Traditional and Something In Between features a good quote from actor, Kevin Spacey, on the topic; ” let them binge…device and length are irrelevant…It’s all content. It’s just story. The audience has spoken. They want stories” (Kozlowski, 2014). I agree with this sentiment. I think the implementation of streaming services is just the natural progression of at-home entertainment. The article The Messy Confusing Future of T.V? It’s Here. raises a good point that the most difficult part of the full transition to streaming services is probably going to be figuring how to bundle them together and gain cooperation from the industry giants. In regards to reality television and its effect on human communication, I think these programs have sparked an increase in viewer involvement and interaction. Many reality shows have a dedicated following which present themselves through online websites such as Twitter and Facebook. These audiences are able to watch these programs as well as communicate with other viewers in real time. They form tight-knit online communities, share inside jokes, and create memes and gifs based around these shows, and have developed their own unique way of communicating. Watching reality television has become no longer an individual experience, but rather a shared one.