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Abstract

This study explores how documentary-based reality shows featuring varied types of content influence the gratifications obtained (GO) by viewers. Participants completed surveys which asked about their overall consumption of reality programming and, more specifically, about their reasons for watching the documentary-based shows Jersey Shore, Deadliest Catch, and The Real Housewives series of programs. Results indicated that perceived reality of these shows and the participants who appear on them are the two primary factors in why people choose to watch this particular reality subgenre. This study concludes with an examination of the current findings within the context of previous studies in this line of research.

Journal Title

Iowa Journal of Communication

Volume

48

Issue

2

First Page

113

Last Page

129

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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