The State of Reality Television

Whatever your opinion of reality television shows are I think we can all agree on one thing:  there is a tremendous amount of "reality TV" out there.  What originally started with shows such as Real World/Road Rules it has since blossomed into its own genre.  Some love it, some hate it, and some think it is just a fad that will go away.  The latter part: not going to happen.

Case in point:  TLC.  Once considered a cable television outlet where viewers could tune in and learn (hence the L in TLC) it has since gone bananas with the reality television craze.  Who can ever get enough of shows like my 600-lb life, 90 day Fiance, and the one show everyone loves to trash on...I'll give you three guesses

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mmm, I can just feel the quality of television beaming into my eyes

If you aren't familiar with the family in the above photo; 1) congratulations for being able to avoid it and 2) that would be Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.  Even the title of the show sounds ridiculous.  That is not the main show I was going to talk about. . . that honor would belong to Breaking Amish, a reality show that follows around an Amish family trying to acclimate their lives into the world separate from the one they are used to.  

Dealing with Annoying Complaints

I don't know how many people still watch Family Guy or if it is even as popular as it once was.  I usually catch myself watching old episodes on either Fox or Adult Swim and generally get a kick out of its satirical matter, double meanings, and their "edgy" content (edgy enough to be on broadcast television).  Either way, it is an enjoyable cartoon to watch when you pass by it while channel surfing.

The Federal Communications Commission harbors over broadcast television, radio, and a number of other technological communication devices.  They have a set of defined rules that those in broadcasting must abide by and generally most follow them, unless you're Howard Stern or Don Imus (otherwise known as hot talkers in the industry).  The one rule the FCC has not been able to clearly get a grasp on is what is obscene on television and radio.  Decades have passed since they first passed a rule stating broadcasters cannot use indecent or obscene material.  Every time they try to update the rule, the one question that people ask is "what is indecent or obscene"?  I certainly don't know where you draw the line.

Nevertheless, the FCC's definition of indecency is about as vague as you can get: 

• An average person, applying contemporary community standards, must find that the material, as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest;

• The material must depict or describe, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by applicable law; and

• The material, taken as a whole, must lack serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.

When I had to take Broadcast Law last year we had this exact discussion, "what is indecent or obscene"? Well, apparently some special interest groups think they have the answer to that question as they bombarded the FCC with complaints about a certain Family Guy episode that crossed a line.  The only problem, is that they found a loophole in the system  sending out multiple complaints from locations that just did not exist with it all being traced back to the same post-marked address from Miami, Florida.

If you're letting your child watch Family Guy then maybe you like things a bit on the inappropriate side

Look, I get why people get upset by what is being peddled on television.  Some of it isn't exactly intellectually stimulating.  Why do you need to cheat a system that is clearly designed to help you?  This situation with Family Guy will always boil down to how far freedom of speech on television and to an extent radio can go.  People in the media give entertaining stuff for ratings obviously but I'm a firm believer if something is popular then just let it be and if it doesn't suit your tastes watch something else.  

What do you do post-graduation?

That seems to be the most simple, yet most potent question anyone who is preparing for life after school either asks themselves or is asked by others.  People have a wide range of answers, anywhere from having the whole situation planned out to make a smooth transition all the way to not having a clue what to do.  I tend to fall on the latter part of that spectrum.  I seriously have no clue what's going to happen after I graduate from Central Michigan University and I envy everyone in my class that has a plan.  The question then becomes, why?

Well, for one thing I am in a field where you don't know what's going to happen.  You live on the seat of your pants.  I would love to stay in state at least to start out my life but I could just as easily end up elsewhere in such exotic and lovely states as Idaho or Nebraska.

I graduate in May with a degree in Broadcast and Cinematic Arts or in more simple terms, Broadcasting. I've always had such a passion for it.  My dream is to one day become a news anchor.  I know I'll have to bust my a** off to get there but I cling on to the fact that I am good enough to get there.  Cocky? Sure.  Don't get me wrong, that's not who I am as a person.  Anyone who knows me, knows I come across as the complete opposite.  I digress.

I didn't always see myself as a reporter/anchor.  I originally wanted to go into the world of sports broadcasting until I got hands-on experience as a play-by-play and color commentator for baseball.  Boy, I sounded like an idiot to be perfectly blunt.  Yet, I was not doomed.  I was encouraged to audition for a spot as a news anchor for CMU's student-ran news program, News Central 34.  I got the gig and later develop a love for news and now haven't looked back.

You may be thinking that if I found something I love and am good at, then why haven't I made a plan to attack that field and get a job? The answer is simple.  I don't know.  I don't think that's a bad thing.  Who knew I would be changing my life-long dream to be a sports play-by-play man to a different dream? You have to take these life defining moments one day at a time.  I'm a firm believer in going with the flow.

My point is, you may think you have a plan for the future but until you go through experiences you may have to change everything you thought you wanted to do.  It may happen again.  And again.  and again.

If you're interested, I was involved this past week in an exciting opportunity to be a panelist thanks to the help of CMU's grad student, Makenzie Walter. It was alot of fun.  Yes, I am aware this video is sports related, after I just crushed my own sports broadcasting performance.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76jr2WgLszM

Hi everyone.  The above image is a typical scene for me.  I type this out while sitting in the Park Library at Central Michigan University.  I've been here for three years now and will be finishing up my stay here in May. 

I tried thinking of a niche subject to blog about including being focused on sports, broadcasting, or whatever other topic interests me but in all honesty I'm not an expert.  I know things about a lot of different subjects but for the most part I tend to be pretty even-headed.  As I continue to blog, you'll see a rhythm to my posts but for now let me just use this as an introduction.