Nightline Daily Email: 6/13
W A S H I N G T O N, June 20, 2001 -- We received many e-mails about our recent report on Fear Factor and the rise of Reality TV. Read some of the e-mails, with responses from the show's producer.
A comment on tonight's broadcast concerning theeffect of reality TV programming on society. PersonallyI think its crap, and wouldn't watch it anymore than I woulda football game or a monster truck rally.But what your high brow guests failed to point out is that wehuman beings are a complex bunch. Rarely as singularily, and perhaps one dimensionally intellectual as your guests.
Keith Byrne
In your June 13 story on Fear Factor, in which Nightline appeared to try to take the high road in its evaluation of "Reality-TV", I'm curious why you chose to interview (albeit briefly) the "winner" of the first Fear Factor show, rather than the gentleman who refused to enter the rat-pit. I think his perspective might have been more germane and enlightening. Then again, the whole genre is just a glossy, high tech version of "Dare/Double-Dare/Double-Dog-Dare" and much like the hand-wringing that was done over "Cops" and "When Animals Attack," these too will pass. By the way, cheers to Dick Cavett, who has apparently become an arbiter of the cultural state of television. I must have missed his ascendance.
Patrick Gough
The Nightline reality TV show was nothing more than a excuse to bash NBC for their Fear show on Mondays. Aren't Hockey and Boxing reality TV too, where a boxer bites off a piece of ear of an opponent? The only thing missing from your biased piece was Senator Leiberman on to attack the Republicans for the rash of reality TV shows.
Peter Gordon
I was looking forward to watching Nightline, as I do every evening. I get off work late, make dinner, and proceed to watch the local news and your show.I did not finish my dinner tonight. I couldn't - I was disgusted by the depiction of "Reality TV" on your show. I don't think pictures of Peruvians eating feces qualifies as any sort of quality program.I have come to expect quality, informative segments on the show and was very disappointed to see that ABC felt it was necessary to stoop to the level of other television programming.I hope that future segment will represent the news objectively and in good taste.
John
I thought this show was horribly shortsighted and arrogant. First off, the show included the opinions of 4 people (including Ted) all of which had the same viewpoint. Clearly, that is not fair or comprehensive coverage. All of these people seemed to think that they were authorities on 'good taste' and knew what was good for the American people. Unfortunately, their arrogant attitude on the superficial aspects of the show didn't allow them to see the bigger picture.
The positive aspect of the show 'Fear Factor' is the portrayal of everyday people facing and overcoming their fears. Facing and overcoming one's fears is an integral and important part of human development. Success in any venture will never come if one is controlled by their fears, this includes anything from starting a business to learning a new sport or skill. By using real people in real situations (as opposed to actors in a movie) I think the show can actually inspire viewers to improve themselves. Viewers may say to themselves "if that guy can get past his fear, then so can I".
I'm sure that I'm not the only one with this opinion. I find it hard to believe that ABC would run such a show with only one viewpoint. The guests, as well as Ted, didn't even look for any positive aspects of the show 'Fear Factor', instead they all dismissed it as 'cheap TV'. There's no excuse for people who present themselves as intelligent authorities to be so simple-minded.
Tom Gref
I'm a realist and would much rather watch real people doing extraordinary things than sit through another ho-hum sitcom about to go belly-up. Despite the criticism of these shows, I noticed that the networks and print media were falling over each other to cover the McVeigh execution. When the networks have witnesses/correspondents describing a dying mans eye movements and cheeks puffing out as he takes his dying breath, is there any reason to criticize reality shows which are controlled and no one is injured. The critics can say what they want, it's their opinion and no one else's. It's the ratings that tell us how popular these shows really are. It was the producer of "60 Minutes" who told Barbara Walters, "For every failed sitcom there is a news magazine show!" When the news magazine show goes up against a reality show, the reality show is the winner. The people/viewers know what they like and it's not the end of civilization, as we know it, these shows will eventually bore viewers and they'll watch something else.
Richard Whitt
I unfortunately only caught the tail-end of your June 13th story on Nightline which apparently started off with NBC's Fear Factor program of this week. That program featured contestants willing to be dragged behind horses which was child's play in comparison to its next sketch where contestants were challenged to be lowered into a pit, partially clothed and to be covered with 400 rats who would in all likelihood bite them. I thought perhaps that I was one of the few who was disgusted at how low NBC would stoop for ratings when I saw this. I left the program and immediately emailed a note to Michael Powell, Chairman of the FCC, to voice my opinion that stations and networks that use the public airways in such a manner should have their licenses revoked. I also wrote an email to the MPLS-ST. PAUL NBC affiliate to advise it that I was disgusted and would not watch any of its programs in the future if the show FEAR FACTOR stayed on the air.
THANKS TO ABC's NIGHTLINEand its guests of this evening for calling greater attention to what some networks, NBC in particular, feel is entertainment, ie FEAR FACTOR. Perhaps it is time for Churches and religious organizations to pay more attention to these programs and consider economic boycotts of the companies who choose to sponsor such depraved and despicable programs. KEEP UP THE GOOD THOUGHT PROVOKING ANALYSIS THAT ABC'S NIGHTLINE IS FAMOUS FOR. Your Town Meetings are also appreciated from time to time.
D. Olson Minneapolis