Editing Reality television (section)

== History ==
Television formats portraying ordinary people in unscripted situations are almost as old as the television medium itself. Producer-host [[Allen Funt]]'s ''[[Candid Camera]]'', in which unsuspecting people were confronted with funny, unusual situations and filmed with hidden cameras, first aired in 1948. In the 21st century, the series is often considered a prototype of reality television programming.<ref>Clissold, B.(2004). "Candid Camera and the origins of reality TV: contextualizing a historical precedent". In Holmes, and Jermyn, D. (eds) ''Understanding Reality Television''. London: Routledge, 33-53.</ref><ref>McCarthy, A. (2009). "Stanley Milgram, Allen Funt and me: Postwar Social Science and the First Wave of Reality TV". In Ouellette, L., and Murray, S. (eds). ''Reality Television Culture''. New York: NYU Press.</ref>

=== 1940s–1950s ===
In the early 1940s the young German television station, named after ''[[Paul Gottlieb Nipkow|Paul Nipkow]]'' had  staged a show in which a young couple acted as model Aryans and presented their everyday lives without a script to the camera
(''Familienchroniken - Ein Abend mit Hans und Gelli''). Even though it was clearly [[Nazi Germany|Nazi]] propaganda and the episodes were certainly affected by [[censorship]], in recent years the show has been presented more frequently as the oldest reality TV show in the world.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/3239289/Adolf-Hitler-planned-propaganda-cable-TV.html Adolf Hitler 'planned propaganda cable TV'] [[The Daily Telegraph]], vom 22 October 2008</ref>

Precedents for television that portrayed people in unscripted situations began in the late 1940s. ''[[Queen for a Day]]'' (1945–1964) was an early example of reality-based television. The 1946 television game show ''[[Cash and Carry (TV series)|Cash and Carry]]'' sometimes featured contestants performing stunts. Debuting in 1948, [[Allen Funt]]'s [[hidden camera]] show ''[[Candid Camera]]''  (based on his previous 1947 radio show, ''[[The Candid Microphone]]'') broadcast unsuspecting ordinary people reacting to pranks.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.infoplease.com/spot/realitytv1.html |last=Rowan |first=Beth |title=Reality TV Takes Hold |publisher=Infoplease.com |date=July 21, 2000 |access-date=May 8, 2007 |archive-date=May 1, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070501020323/http://www.infoplease.com/spot/realitytv1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1948, talent search shows, such as ''[[Ted Mack (radio-TV host)|Ted Mack's]] [[Original Amateur Hour]]'' and ''[[Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts]]'', featured amateur competitors and audience voting. In the 1950s, game shows ''[[Beat the Clock]]'' and ''[[Truth or Consequences]]'' involved contestants in wacky competitions, stunts, and practical jokes. ''[[Confession (American TV series)|Confession]]'' was a crime and police show that aired from June 1958 to January 1959, with interviewer Jack Wyatt questioning criminals from assorted backgrounds.<ref>Alex McNeil, ''Total Television'' (New York: Penguin Books, 1996), p. 178</ref> The radio series ''Nightwatch'' (1951–1955) tape-recorded the daily activities of [[Culver City, California]] police officers. The series ''[[You Asked for It]]'' (1950–1959) incorporated audience involvement by basing episodes around requests sent in by postcard from viewers.

=== 1960s–1970s ===
First broadcast in the [[United Kingdom]] in 1964, the [[Granada Television]] documentary ''[[Up Series|Seven Up!]]'' broadcast interviews with 14 ordinary 7-year-olds from a broad cross-section of society and inquired about their reactions to everyday life. Every seven years, the filmmaker [[Michael Apted]] created a new film documenting the lives of the same individuals during the intervening period. Titled the [[Up Series]], episodes included "7 Plus Seven", "21 Up", etc.; it is still ongoing. Structured as a series of candid interviews with no scripted plot, the films chronicle how the participants navigated personal milestones such as education, career, marriage, and family. Over time, by virtue of the sustained public attention, the participants became notable figures in British culture, effectively turning ordinary people into a type of celebrity.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hancock |first=David |date=2004-10-18 |title=Filmed From Age 7 To 49 - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/filmed-from-age-7-to-49/ |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

The series ''[[The American Sportsman]]'', which ran from 1965 to 1986 on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] in the United States,<ref>{{cite web| title = Syracuse.com - Guest column: These new reality hunting TV shows are out of control| date = December 21, 2012| url = http://blog.syracuse.com/outdoors/2012/12/guest_column_these_new_reality.html| access-date = October 17, 2013| archive-date = October 22, 2013| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131022210824/http://blog.syracuse.com/outdoors/2012/12/guest_column_these_new_reality.html| url-status = live}} ''The Post-Standard'' newspaper, Syracuse, New York, December 21, 2012, by Tom Adessa. "As a teenager, I always looked forward to Sunday afternoons when I'd watch [[Curt Gowdy]] and his TV show, 'The American Sportsman.' Gowdy had a distinct, soft-spoken demeanor and the destinations of his hunts were in various parts of the world."</ref><ref>{{cite web| title = 'The American Sportsman' Penetrates the Awesome World of the Shark| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2506&dat=19750208&id=AaBbAAAAIBAJ&pg=2179,1594312| access-date = October 17, 2013}}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''The News and Courier'' newspaper, February 8, 1975, Charleston, South Carolina. Quote: "Peter Benchley's journey to the world of the White Shark is an evocative portrait of one of nature's extraordinary phenomena, the shark, and of one man's revealing transition from the world of fantasy to the world of underwater reality."</ref> would typically feature one or more celebrities, and sometimes their family members, being accompanied by a camera crew on an [[Adventure#Outdoors|outdoor adventure]], such as [[hunting]], [[fishing]], hiking, [[scuba diving]], rock climbing, wildlife photography, horseback riding, race car driving, and the like, with most of the resulting action and dialogue being unscripted, except for the narration.

In the 1966 [[Direct Cinema]] film ''[[Chelsea Girls]]'', [[Andy Warhol]] filmed various acquaintances with no direction given. The ''[[Radio Times]] Guide to Film 2007'' said that the film was "to blame for reality television".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/film/article-23369560-details/Warhol+'reality'+film+named+in+top+100/article.do |title=Warhol 'reality' film named in top 100 |first=Alexa |last=Baracaia |work=[[Evening Standard]] |date=October 4, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204043437/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/film/article-23369560-details/Warhol+%27reality%27+film+named+in+top+100/article.do |archive-date=December 4, 2008 |access-date=December 19, 2021 }}</ref>

In 1969, the British rock group [[the Beatles]] were filmed for a month during the recording sessions which would become their album ''[[Let It Be (album)|Let It Be]]'' and released the [[Let It Be (1970 film)|homonymous film]] the following year. In 2021, director [[Peter Jackson]] created an eight-hour, three-episode television series entitled ''[[The Beatles: Get Back]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/06/the-beatles-get-back-exclusive-deep-dive-peter-jacksons-movie|title=The Beatles: Get Back – An Exclusive Deep Dive Into Peter Jackson's Revelatory New Movie|last=Hagan|first=Joe|date=17 June 2021|website=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]|access-date=12 March 2023|archive-date=October 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003180421/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/06/the-beatles-get-back-exclusive-deep-dive-peter-jacksons-movie|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:The_Loud_Family_1973.JPG|thumb|The Loud family, subjects of the pioneering [[PBS]] series ''[[An American Family]]''. During filming, the parents decided to divorce and son [[Lance Loud|Lance]] (top right) came out as gay.]]
The 12-part 1973 [[PBS]] series ''[[An American Family]]'' showed a [[nuclear family]] (filmed in 1971) going through a divorce; unlike many later reality shows, it was more or less documentary in purpose and style. In 1974 a counterpart program, ''[[The Family (1974 UK TV series)|The Family]]'', was made in the UK, following the working-class Wilkins family of [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]].<ref name=Biressi>{{cite book|last=Biressi|first=Anita|title=Reality TV: Realism and Revelation|url=https://archive.org/details/realitytvrealism0000bire|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Wallflower Press|location=London|isbn=978-1904764045|pages=[https://archive.org/details/realitytvrealism0000bire/page/64 64–66]}}</ref> Other forerunners of modern reality television were the 1970s productions of [[Chuck Barris]]: ''[[The Dating Game]]'', ''[[The Newlywed Game]]'', and ''[[The Gong Show]]'', all of which featured participants who were eager to sacrifice some of their privacy and dignity in a televised competition.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/26/movies/television-radio-bachelor-no-1-and-the-birth-of-reality-tv.html |last=James |first=Caryn |title=Bachelor No. 1 And the Birth Of Reality TV |series=Television/Radio |work=The New York Times |date=January 26, 2003 |access-date=March 18, 2009 |archive-date=August 9, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090809143511/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/26/movies/television-radio-bachelor-no-1-and-the-birth-of-reality-tv.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The 1976–1980 [[BBC]] series ''[[The Big Time (TV series)|The Big Time]]'' featured a different amateur in some field (cooking, comedy, football, etc.) trying to succeed professionally in that field, with help from notable experts. The 15-episode series is credited with starting the career of [[Sheena Easton]], who was selected to appear in the episode showing an aspiring pop singer trying to enter the music business.<ref>{{cite news |title=Where are they now? Scottish singer Sheena Easton |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/scotland-now/now-scottish-singer-sheena-easton-8473853 |newspaper=[[Daily Record (Scotland)|Daily Record]] |date=July 22, 2016 |access-date=May 17, 2018 |archive-date=May 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517153220/https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/scotland-now/now-scottish-singer-sheena-easton-8473853 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1978, ''[[Living in the Past (TV series)|Living in the Past]]'' had amateurs participating in a re-enactment of life in an [[Iron Age]] English village.

=== 1980s–1990s ===
Producer [[George Schlatter]] capitalized on the advent of videotape to create ''[[Real People (TV program)|Real People]]'', a surprise hit for NBC, and it ran from 1979 to 1984. The success of ''Real People'' was quickly copied by ABC with ''[[That's Incredible]]'', a stunt show produced by [[Alan Landsburg]] and co-hosted by [[Fran Tarkenton]]; CBS's entry into the genre was ''[[That's My Line]]'', a series hosted by [[Bob Barker]]. The [[Canada|Canadian]] series ''[[Thrill of a Lifetime (TV series)|Thrill of a Lifetime]]'', a fantasies-fulfilled reality show, originally ran from 1982 to 1988. It was revived from 2001 to 2003. In 1985, underwater cinematographer Al Giddings teamed with former [[Miss Universe]] [[Shawn Weatherly]] on the NBC series ''Oceanquest'', which chronicled Weatherly's adventures scuba diving in various exotic locales. Weatherly was nominated for an [[Emmy Award]] for Outstanding Achievement in informational programming.<ref>{{IMDb title|qid=Q130342797|id=tt0088584|title=Oceanquest}}</ref>
''[[Cops (TV series)|COPS]]'', which first aired in the spring of 1989 on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] and was developed due to the need for new programming during the [[1988 Writers Guild of America strike]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20071106-9999-lz1c06strike.html |title=With writers on strike, expect more repeats and dose of reality |first=Karla |last=Peterson |newspaper=San Diego Union-Tribune |date=November 6, 2007 |access-date=November 6, 2007 |archive-date=November 6, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106102150/http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20071106-9999-lz1c06strike.html |url-status=live }}</ref> showed police officers on duty apprehending criminals. It introduced the [[camcorder]] look and [[cinéma vérité]] feel of much of later reality television. The 1991 [[television documentary]] on "typical American high schoolers", ''[[Yearbook (TV series)|Yearbook]]'', focused on [[Twelfth grade|seniors]] attending Glenbard West High School, in [[Glen Ellyn, Illinois|Glen Ellyn]], Illinois and [[Prime time|broadcast prime-time]] on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]].

The series ''[[Nummer 28]]'', which aired on [[Netherlands|Dutch]] television in 1991, originated the concept of putting strangers together in a limited environment for an extended period of time and recording the drama that ensued. ''Nummer 28'' also pioneered many of the stylistic conventions that have since become standard in reality television shows, including extensive use of soundtrack music and the interspersing of events on screen with after-the-fact "confessionals" recorded by cast members, which serve as narration. ''Nummer 28'' became the model for many later series of ''Big Brother'' and its clones, and Peter Weir's full-length film ''[[The Truman Show]]''. One year later, the same concept was used by [[MTV]] in its new series ''[[Real World (TV series)|The Real World]]''. ''Nummer 28'' creator Erik Latour has long claimed that ''The Real World'' was directly inspired by his show.<ref name="werklozen">{{cite news |url=http://www.nrc.nl/W2/Nieuws/1996/09/28/Rtv/rtv.html |title=Zeven werklozen samen op zoek naar een baan |first=Raymond |last=van den Boogaard |newspaper=[[NRC Handelsblad]] |date=September 28, 1996 |location=Amsterdam |language=nl |access-date=October 31, 2006 |archive-date=April 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417021721/http://nrc.nl/W2/Nieuws/1996/09/28/Rtv/rtv.html |url-status=live }}</ref> But the producers of ''The Real World'' have said that their direct inspiration was ''An American Family''.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-10-09-real-world_N.htm |title=MTV's 'Real World' launched a revolution |first=Bill |last=Keveney |work=USA Today |location=Washington DC |date=October 9, 2007 |access-date=September 10, 2017 |archive-date=August 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826005029/http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-10-09-real-world_N.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> According to television commentator [[Charlie Brooker]], this type of reality television was enabled by the advent of computer-based [[non-linear editing system]]s for video (such as produced by [[Avid Technology]]) in 1989. These systems made it easy to quickly edit hours of video footage into a usable form, something that had been very difficult to do before (film, which was easy to edit, was too expensive to use in shooting enough hours on a regular basis).<ref name="CharlieBooker">{{cite web |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBwepkVurCI | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211028/BBwepkVurCI| archive-date=October 28, 2021|publisher=YouTube |title=Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe - Reality TV Editing |date=February 2007}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

''[[Sylvania Waters (TV series)|Sylvania Waters]]'' (1992) was an Australian show that depicted a family, similar in concept to ''An American Family''.

The 1994–95 [[O. J. Simpson murder case]], during which live network television followed suspect Simpson for 90 minutes being chased by police, has been described as a seminal moment in reality television. Networks interrupted their regular television programming for months for coverage of the trial and related events. Because of Simpson's status as a top athlete and celebrity, the brutal nature of the murders, and issues of race and class in Los Angeles celebrity culture, the sensational case dominated ratings and the public conversation.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=How the O. J. Simpson Case Explains Reality in 2016|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/02/how-the-oj-simpson-case-explains-reality-in-2016 |first=Lila |last=Anolik |magazine=Vanity Fair |date=February 2, 2016|access-date=July 17, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Chase, or: Where Were You When Reality TV Was Invented?|url=http://decider.com/2016/02/10/the-people-v-o-j-simpson-recap-episode-2-rex-sorgatz/|publisher=Decider|date=February 10, 2016|access-date=July 17, 2017|archive-date=August 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813111404/http://decider.com/2016/02/10/the-people-v-o-j-simpson-recap-episode-2-rex-sorgatz/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Many reality television stars of the 2000s and 2010s have direct or indirect connections to people involved in the case, most notably [[Kim Kardashian]], daughter of defense attorney [[Robert Kardashian]], and several of her relatives and associates.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=It All Began with O. J.: The Diagram |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/02/oj-simpson-reality-tv-diagram |first=Lila |last=Anolik |magazine=Vanity Fair |date=February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=14 reality stars who exist today because of the O. J. Simpson trial|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2014/06/12/14-reality-stars-who-exist-today-because-of-the-o-j-simpson-trial/|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=June 12, 2016|access-date=July 17, 2017|archive-date=April 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402161542/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2014/06/12/14-reality-stars-who-exist-today-because-of-the-o-j-simpson-trial/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The series ''[[Expedition Robinson]]'', created by television producer Charlie Parsons, which first aired in 1997 in [[Sweden]] (and was later produced in a large number of other countries as ''[[Survivor (franchise)|Survivor]]''), added to the ''Nummer 28''/''Real World'' template the idea of competition and elimination. Cast members or contestants battled against each other and were removed from the show until only one winner remained (these shows are now sometimes called elimination shows). ''[[Changing Rooms (TV show)|Changing Rooms]]'', a program that began in the UK in 1996, showed couples redecorating each other's houses, and was the first{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}} reality show with a [[self-improvement]] or [[makeover]] theme. The dating reality show ''[[Streetmate]]'' premiered in the UK in 1998. Originally created by [[Gabe Sachs]] as ''Street Match'', it was a flop in the United States. But the show was revamped in the UK by [[Tiger Aspect Productions]] and became a cult hit. The production team from the original series later created the popular reality shows ''[[Strictly Come Dancing]]'', ''[[Location, Location, Location]]'', and the revamped ''[[MasterChef]]'', among others.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}} The 1980s and 1990s were also a time when [[tabloid talk show]]s became more popular. Many of these featured the same types of unusual or dysfunctional guests who would later become popular as cast members of reality shows.

=== 2000s ===
Reality television became globally popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with the successes of the ''[[Big Brother (franchise)|Big Brother]]'' and ''[[Survivor (franchise)|Survivor]]/[[Expedition Robinson]]'' franchises. In the United States, reality television programs suffered a temporary decline in viewership in 2001, leading some entertainment industry columnists{{who|date=September 2013}} to speculate that the genre was a temporary fad that had run its course.{{citation needed|date=September 2013}} Reality shows that suffered from low ratings included ''[[The Amazing Race (American TV series)|The Amazing Race]]'' (although the show has since recovered and is in its 32nd edition), ''[[Lost (2001 TV series)|Lost]]'' (unrelated to the better-known [[Lost (2004 TV series)|serial drama of the same name]]) and ''[[The Mole (American TV series)|The Mole]]'' (which was successful in other countries).<ref>Sigesmund, B. J. (October 11, 2001). "Will Reality TV Survive?" ''Newsweek''. Retrieved from Lexis Nexis database.</ref> But stronghold shows ''Survivor'' and ''[[American Idol]]'' continued to thrive: both topped the U.S. season-average television ratings in the 2000s. ''Survivor'' led the ratings in [[2002 in television|2001–02]], and ''Idol'' has the longest hold on the No. 1 rank in the [[Nielsen ratings|American television ratings]], dominating over all other primetime programs and other television series in the overall viewership tallies for eight consecutive years, from the [[2004 in television|2003–2004]] to the [[2011 in American television|2010–2011]] television seasons.

Another trend was to combine reality TV with a social history angle usually by having contestants taken back to various time periods primarily to see how millennials would cope without modern technology. Examples included ''[[The 1900 House]]'', ''[[Bad Lads' Army]]'' and ''[[That'll Teach 'Em]]''. In addition to those was a series consisting of archeologists and historians running a farm though various historical periods, most notably ''[[Victorian Farm]]''.

[[File:John de Mol jr.jpg|thumb|Dutch media tycoon [[John de Mol Jr.]], who created the reality television franchises ''[[Big Brother (franchise)|Big Brother]]'', ''[[Fear Factor (franchise)|Fear Factor]]'' and ''[[The Voice (franchise)|The Voice]]'', among others]]
Internationally, a number of shows created in the late 1990s and 2000s have had massive global success. Reality-television franchises created during that time that have had more than 30 international adaptations each include the singing competition franchises ''[[Idols (franchise)|Idols]]'',<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lodish |first1=Emily |title=Who would win a World Idol competition? |url=https://www.pri.org/stories/2013-06-25/who-would-win-world-idol-competition |website=The World from PRX |date=July 30, 2016 |language=en |access-date=May 11, 2020 |archive-date=March 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200308220442/https://www.pri.org/stories/2013-06-25/who-would-win-world-idol-competition |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Star Academy]]''<ref>Star Academy reality show comes to town. (February 21, 2014). Retrieved November 30, 2014, from http://vietnamnews.vn/life-style/251419/star-academy-reality-show-comes-to-town.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205072143/http://vietnamnews.vn/life-style/251419/star-academy-reality-show-comes-to-town.html |date=December 5, 2014 }}</ref> and ''[[The X Factor]]'', other competition franchises ''Survivor/Expedition Robinson'', ''Big Brother'', ''[[The Biggest Loser]]'', ''[[Come Dine with Me]]'', ''[[Got Talent]]'', ''[[Top Model]]'', ''[[MasterChef]]'', ''[[Project Runway (franchise)|Project Runway]]'' and ''[[Dancing with the Stars]]'', and the investment franchise ''[[Dragons' Den]]''. Several "[[reality game show]]s" from the same period have had even greater success, including ''[[Deal or No Deal]]'', ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?]]'', and ''[[The Weakest Link (British game show)|Weakest Link]]'', with over 50 international adaptions each. (All but four of these franchises, ''Top Model'', ''Project Runway'', ''The Biggest Loser'' and ''Dragons' Den'', were created by either British producers or the Dutch production company [[Endemol]]. Although ''Dragons' Den'' originated in [[Japan]], most of its adaptations are based on the British version.) In India, the competition show ''[[Indian Idol]]'' was the most popular television program for its first six seasons.<ref name="Reality TV and Participatory Culture in India">{{cite journal|last=Punathambekar|first=Aswin|title=Reality TV and Participatory Culture in India|journal=Popular Communication|year=2010|volume=8|issue=4|pages=241–255|doi=10.1080/15405702.2010.514177|s2cid=43072267}}</ref>

During the 2000s, several [[cable television|cable]] networks, including [[Bravo (American TV network)|Bravo]], [[A&E (TV network)|A&E]], [[E!]], [[TLC (TV network)|TLC]], [[History (American TV network)|History]], [[VH1]], and [[MTV]], changed their programming to feature mostly reality television series.<ref name="simple-econ">{{Cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-05-07-reality-TV_N.htm?csp=34 |last=Levin |first=Gary |title='Simple economics': More reality TV |work=USA Today |date=May 8, 2007 |access-date=September 10, 2017 |archive-date=August 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090814030734/http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-05-07-reality-TV_N.htm?csp=34 |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition, three cable channels were started around that time that were devoted exclusively to reality television: [[Fox Reality]] in the United States, which operated from 2005 to 2010; [[Global Reality Channel]] in [[Canada]], which lasted two years from 2010 to 2012; and [[CBS Reality]] (formerly known as Reality TV and then Zone Reality) in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, which has run from 1999 to the present.

During the early part of the 2000s, network executives expressed concern that reality-television programming was limited in its appeal for DVD reissue and [[broadcast syndication|syndication]]. But DVDs for reality shows sold briskly; ''[[Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County]]'', ''[[The Amazing Race]]'', ''[[Project Runway]]'', and ''[[America's Next Top Model]]'' all ranked in the top DVDs sold on [[Amazon.com]]. In the mid-2000s, DVDs of ''[[The Simple Life]]'' outranked scripted shows such as ''[[The O.C.]]'' and ''[[Desperate Housewives]]''. Syndication, however, has been problematic; shows such as ''[[Fear Factor]]'', ''COPS'', and ''[[Wife Swap (American TV series)|Wife Swap]]'', in which each episode is self-contained, can be rerun fairly easily, but usually only on cable television or during the daytime (''COPS'' and ''[[America's Funniest Home Videos]]'' being exceptions). Season-long competitions, such as ''[[The Amazing Race (American TV series)|The Amazing Race]]'', ''[[Survivor (American TV series)|Survivor]]'', and ''[[America's Next Top Model]]'' generally perform more poorly and usually must be rerun in [[marathon (television)|marathons]] to draw the necessary viewers to make it worthwhile. (Even in these cases, it is not always successful: the first ten seasons of ''[[Dancing with the Stars (American TV series)|Dancing with the Stars]]'' were picked up by [[Game Show Network|GSN]] in 2012 and was run in marathon format, but attracted low viewership and had very poor ratings). Another option is to create documentaries around series, including extended interviews with the participants and outtakes not seen in the original airings; the syndicated series ''[[American Idol Rewind]]'' is an example of this strategy.

''COPS'' has had huge success in syndication, direct response sales, and DVD. A Fox staple since 1989, ''COPS'' has, as of 2013 (when it moved to cable channel [[Spike (TV channel)|Spike]]), outlasted all competing scripted police shows. Another series that had wide success is ''[[Cheaters (American TV series)|Cheaters]]'', which has been running since 2000 in the U.S. and is syndicated in over 100 countries worldwide. In 2001, the [[Academy of Television Arts and Sciences]] added the reality genre to the [[Emmy Awards]] in the category of [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality Program|Outstanding Reality Program]]. In 2003, to better differentiate between competition and informational reality programs, a second category, [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program|Outstanding Reality-Competition Program]], was added. In 2008, a third category, [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program|Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program]], was added. In 2007, the [[web series]] ''[[The Next Internet Millionaire]]'' appeared; it was a competition show based in part on ''[[The Apprentice (TV series)|The Apprentice]]'', and was billed as the world's first Internet reality show.

=== 2010s ===
[[File:Duncan Laurence with the 2019 Eurovision Trophy (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Duncan Laurence]], who competed on the [[The Voice of Holland season 5|fifth season]] of singing competition show ''[[The Voice of Holland]]'' in 2014, with the trophy for winning the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2019]].]]
In 2010, the Dutch singing competition show ''[[The Voice of Holland]]'', created by [[John de Mol Jr.]], premiered; it added to the singing competition template the twist that judges could not see contestants during the initial audition round, and could judge them only by their voice. The show was an instant success, and spawned an entire franchise, ''[[The Voice (franchise)|The Voice]]'', which has been highly successful, with almost 50 international adaptations.

''[[The Tester]]'' (2010–2012) was the first reality television show aired over a video game console.<ref name="USAToday">{{Cite news | newspaper = [[USA Today]] | title = Have a PlayStation? You can watch 'The Tester'; Reality series is available only on consoles | first = Mike | last = Snider | page = D.12 | date = March 5, 2010 | access-date = October 10, 2010 | url = https://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2010-03-05-tester05_ST_N.htm | archive-date = March 15, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100315120950/http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2010-03-05-tester05_ST_N.htm | url-status = live }}</ref>

By 2012, many of the long-running reality television show franchises in the United States, such as ''American Idol'', ''Dancing with the Stars'' and ''[[The Bachelor (American TV series)|The Bachelor]]'', had begun to see declining ratings.<ref>Molloy, Tim (March 13, 2012). [https://www.thewrap.com/tv/article/reality-ratings-slip-aging-bachelors-idols-and-dancers-lose-some-bite-36224 Reality Ratings Slip: Aging Bachelors, Idols and Dancers Lose Their Bite] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211102724/https://www.thewrap.com/tv/article/reality-ratings-slip-aging-bachelors-idols-and-dancers-lose-some-bite-36224/ |date=December 11, 2019 }}. ''The Wrap''. Retrieved March 14, 2012.</ref> However, reality television as a whole remained durable in the U.S., with hundreds of shows across many channels. In 2012, ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'' Magazine's ''Vulture'' blog published a humorous [[Venn diagram]] showing popular themes across American reality shows then running, including shows set in the U.S. states of [[Alaska]], [[Louisiana]] and [[Texas]], shows about cakes, weddings and [[pawnbroker]]s, and shows, usually competition-based, whose title includes the word "Wars".<ref>{{cite web |title=See a Venn Diagram Connecting Reality-TV Shows |url=https://www.vulture.com/2012/01/reailty-show-venn-diagram.html |publisher=New York Magazine Vulture blog |author=Margaret Lyons and Jen Cotton |date=January 31, 2012 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |archive-date=December 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211102647/https://www.vulture.com/2012/01/reailty-show-venn-diagram.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

''[[Duck Dynasty]]'' (2012–2017), which focused on the Robertson family that founded [[Duck Commander]], in 2013 became the most popular reality series in U.S. cable television history. Its fourth-season premiere was viewed by nearly 12&nbsp;million viewers in the United States, most of which were in rural markets. Its rural audience share ranked in the 30s, an extremely high number for any series, broadcast or cable.

Following from the ''1900 House'' format, the BBC produced a series called ''[[Back in Time for Tea]]'' in which a family would experience tea time for various decades.

In 2014, ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' and ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' again noted a stagnation in reality television programs' ratings in the U.S., which they attributed to "The diminishing returns of cable TV's sea of reality sameness". They noted that a number of networks that featured reality programming, including Bravo and E!, were launching their first scripted shows, and others, including [[AMC (TV channel)|AMC]], were abandoning plans to launch further reality programs; though they clarified that the genre as a whole "isn't going anywhere."<ref>Littleton, Cynthia (October 9, 2014). [https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/amc-scraps-second-season-of-game-of-arms-other-shows-as-cabler-reconsiders-unscripted-genre-1201326326/ AMC Scraps Second Season of 'Game of Arms,' Other Shows as Cabler Reconsiders Unscripted Genre] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807004107/https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/amc-scraps-second-season-of-game-of-arms-other-shows-as-cabler-reconsiders-unscripted-genre-1201326326/ |date=August 7, 2020 }}. ''Variety''. Retrieved October 10, 2014.</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Are we tired of reality TV? |url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/10/31/reality-tv/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |first=James |last=Hibberd |date=October 31, 2014}}</ref> Ratings and profits from reality TV continued to decline in the late 2010s.<ref>{{cite web |title=This may be the end of reality TV as we know it |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-may-be-the-end-of-reality-tv-as-we-know-it-2017-02-03 |first=Katerina |last=Ang |date=February 4, 2017 |work=MarketWatch |access-date=June 22, 2019 |archive-date=June 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190622123004/https://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-may-be-the-end-of-reality-tv-as-we-know-it-2017-02-03 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The South Korean competition show ''[[I Can See Your Voice (South Korean TV series)|I Can See Your Voice]]'', which premiered in 2015, showed guest judges attempting to guess which of a group of contestants could sing, and which could not, without hearing them sing. The show was successful, and spawned several imitators, most notably ''[[King of Mask Singer]]'' several months later. ''King of Mask Singer'' was a more traditional singing competition show, but with the wrinkle that the contestants were celebrities who remained masked until they were removed from the show, adding an element of guesswork to the competition.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Park So-jung |date=July 20, 2015 |title='King of Mask Singer' leads Sunday for first time |url=http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2015/07/20/0200000000AEN20150720003000315.html |access-date=March 28, 2016 |work=[[Yonhap News Agency]] |archive-date=August 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802211745/http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2015/07/20/0200000000AEN20150720003000315.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The two shows both spawned successful international franchises, ''[[I Can See Your Voice]]'' and ''[[Masked Singer]]'', respectively. ''Masked Singer'' has been especially popular, with over 50 local adaptations; its [[The Masked Singer (American TV series)|American adaptation]] was the third highest-rated series overall of both the 2018–19 and 2019–20 television seasons.<ref>{{cite web |last=Porter |first=Rick |date=June 10, 2019 |title=2018–19 TV Season: Live-Plus-7 Ratings for Every Broadcast Series |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/live-7-ratings-broadcast-tv-series-2018-19-1217293 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527085042/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/live-7-ratings-broadcast-tv-series-2018-19-1217293 |archive-date=May 27, 2020 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> The success of the two franchises has led to other globally-syndicated franchises of reality competitions based around guesswork, such as ''[[Game of Talents]]'' (which began in Spain in 2019) and ''[[The Masked Dancer (American TV series)|The Masked Dancer]]'' (which began in the United States in 2020).<ref>{{Cite web |last=White |first=Peter |date=2021-04-05 |title=The State Of Non-Scripted TV: Networks & Streamers Optimistic In 2021 As They Seek Post-Pandemic Stability & Noisy New Hits |url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/the-state-of-non-scripted-tv-broadcasters-streamers-optimistic-in-2021-feature-1234727534/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=Deadline |language=en-US |archive-date=November 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221102183739/https://deadline.com/2021/04/the-state-of-non-scripted-tv-broadcasters-streamers-optimistic-in-2021-feature-1234727534/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Specialist skill-based TV competitions became popular during this decade with such programs like ''[[The Great British Bake-Off]]'', ''[[Lego Masters]]'', ''[[The Great British Sewing Bee]]'' and ''[[Forged in Fire]]'' shown.

=== 2020s ===
Television development across all genres was impacted in 2020 by the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], which forced many reality competition series to suspend production (and in some cases curtail a competition already in progress, such as [[Big Brother Canada season 8|Canadian]] and [[Bigg Boss (Malayalam season 2)|Malayalam]] versions of ''Big Brother''),<ref name="charity">{{cite web |last1=Furdyk |first1=Brent |date=April 1, 2020 |title='Big Brother Canada' Donates Season 8 Prize Money To Charities Responding To Coronavirus |url=https://etcanada.com/news/619239/big-brother-canada-donates-season-8-prize-money-to-charities-responding-to-coronavirus/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200404031821/https://etcanada.com/news/619239/big-brother-canada-donates-season-8-prize-money-to-charities-responding-to-coronavirus/ |archive-date=2020-04-04 |access-date=April 2, 2020 |website=etcanada.com |publisher=ET Canada}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=18 March 2020 |title=Coronavirus: Bigg Boss Malayalam season 2 to be called off |work=theweek.in |url=https://www.theweek.in/news/entertainment/2020/03/18/coronavirus-bigg-boss-malayalam-season-2-to-be-called-off.html |access-date=August 22, 2022 |archive-date=August 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220822054450/https://www.theweek.in/news/entertainment/2020/03/18/coronavirus-bigg-boss-malayalam-season-2-to-be-called-off.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=18 March 2020 |title='Bigg Boss' Malayalam to go off air soon over COVID-19 fears |work=thenewsminute.com |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/bigg-boss-malayalam-go-air-soon-over-covid-19-fears-120524 |access-date=August 22, 2022 |archive-date=August 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220822054450/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/bigg-boss-malayalam-go-air-soon-over-covid-19-fears-120524 |url-status=live }}</ref> until such time that production could recommence with appropriate health and safety protocols approved by local authorities.<ref>{{Cite web |last=White |first=Peter |date=2020-03-26 |title=Non-Scripted Producers Plot "Corona-Proof" Programming & Uplifting Formats To Launch During & After COVID-19 Crisis |url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/non-scripted-producers-corona-proof-undercover-boss-pawn-stars-1202893090/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=Deadline |language=en-US |archive-date=August 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220822054403/https://deadline.com/2020/03/non-scripted-producers-corona-proof-undercover-boss-pawn-stars-1202893090/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=White |first=Peter |date=2020-03-26 |title='American Idol, 'Ninja Warrior', 'SYTYCD' & 'MasterChef' Among Unscripted Series In Limbo As Networks Deal With Reality Of COVID-19 Crisis |url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/american-idol-ninja-warrior-sytycd-masterchef-unscripted-series-limbo-covid-19-crisis-1202893107/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=Deadline |language=en-US |archive-date=May 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220528155630/https://deadline.com/2020/03/american-idol-ninja-warrior-sytycd-masterchef-unscripted-series-limbo-covid-19-crisis-1202893107/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Due to their quicker turnaround times, the U.S. networks used reality series and other unscripted content (including those delayed from their summer lineups) to fill gaps in their schedules while the production of scripted programming resumed.<ref name=":23">{{Cite web |date=2020-09-04 |title=The pandemic wiped out the fall TV schedule. Does it matter? |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2020-09-04/fall-tv-shows-schedule-covid-19 |access-date=2020-09-22 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US |archive-date=August 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220822054450/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2020-09-04/fall-tv-shows-schedule-covid-19 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":25">{{Cite web |last=White |first=Peter |date=2020-08-27 |title=ABC Dates 'The Bachelorette' As Part Of Unscripted Fall Schedule, Eyes October Return For Scripted Originals |url=https://deadline.com/2020/08/abc-unscripted-schedule-bachelorette-1203024536/ |access-date=2020-08-27 |website=Deadline |language=en |archive-date=August 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220822054450/https://deadline.com/2020/08/abc-unscripted-schedule-bachelorette-1203024536/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the same time, reality television continued to evolve in response to broader platform shifts and changing audience behaviors. The rise of streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Max (formerly HBO Max) led to a new wave of reality formats, including dating shows like ''[[Love Is Blind (TV series)|Love Is Blind]]'' (2020–present) and ''[[Too Hot to Handle (TV series)|Too Hot to Handle]]'' (2020–present), competitive series like ''[[The Circle (American TV series)|The Circle]]'' (2020–present), and docu-soaps such as ''[[Dubai Bling]]'' (2022–present).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Longeretta |first=Emily |date=2023-04-26 |title=Reality TV Power Players in 2023: Meet the Minds Who Changed TV Forever From 'Love is Blind' to 'Real World: Homecoming' |url=https://variety.com/lists/love-is-blind-real-world-reality-tv-impact/rod-aissa-2/ |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-27 |title=Best Streaming Services of this new era |url=https://apacbusinessheadlines.com/the-rise-of-streaming-services/ |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=apacbusinessheadlines.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> Short-form platforms like TikTok also influenced traditional reality programming, with many new shows integrating viral challenges and social media interactions into their formats.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Sarah |title=Revolutionizing Media & Entertainment with Short-Form Video Trends |url=https://www.numberanalytics.com/blog/revolutionizing-media-with-short-form-video-trends |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=www.numberanalytics.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Reality competitions centered around specialized skills, such as ''[[Is It Cake?]]'' (2022–present), gained popularity for offering cozy, niche viewing experiences that appealed to audiences seeking lighter, feel-good content.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hibberd |first=James |date=2022-04-06 |title='Is It Cake?' Inside Netflix's Mindlessly Brilliant Hit |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/is-it-cake-netflix-interview-1235125044/ |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> The demand for escapism and creativity during a period of global uncertainty led networks and streaming platforms alike to invest in more experimental and genre-blending formats.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Syfret |first=Wendy |date=2021-04-13 |title=I turned to reality TV to escape during the pandemic – until reality caught up |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/apr/14/i-turned-to-reality-tv-to-escape-during-the-pandemic-until-reality-caught-up |access-date=2025-04-21 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

Internationally, there was also a surge in non-Western reality content gaining global traction, particularly from South Korea, Japan, and India. Shows like ''[[Single's Inferno]]'' (South Korea, 2021–present), ''[[Physical: 100]]'' (South Korea, 2023–present), ''[[Indian Matchmaking]]'' (India/USA, 2020–present showcased a blend of competition, romance, and cultural elements that resonated with worldwide audiences through platforms like Netflix.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ford |first=Lily |date=2025-02-28 |title=How 'Single's Inferno' Broke the Korean Mold to Become One of Netflix's Most Popular Dating Shows |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/singles-inferno-netflix-south-korea-dating-reality-show-season-5-1236150280/ |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Service (KOCIS) |first=Korean Culture and Information |title=🎧 Fitness reality show 'Physical: 100' tops global Netflix chart : Korea.net : The official website of the Republic of Korea |url=https://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Culture/view?articleId=228629 |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=www.korea.net |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-07-28 |title=Indian Matchmaking: The 'cringeworthy' Netflix show that is a huge hit |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-53499195 |access-date=2025-04-21 |language=en-GB}}</ref>