New Theory on Reality TV

While people simultaneously mock and bemoan the excess amount of reality tv, it serves an interesting purpose in this craptastic economy. With the variety of reality tv, there's a show for everyone, meaning that every John Doe out there has a chance at making money or a name for himself, providing a new niche for jobs that are being killed in rapid succession these days. It also provides a new place for flailing companies to reach out to consumers who they wish to target but could not reach, or did not need to reach, before the economic downturn. Motor City Motors is probably the best example of this (2 free episodes are available on iTunes). A father and his two sons found that their motorcycle company was dying a slow death (it still is), so they were able to get a reality show about re-doing cars to race. They then are able to employ men who used to work at car factories before getting sacked, not in exchange for a steady pay check, but for new tools and a chance to go on tv and say "Here's what I can do, so please hire me." The car parts are donated, providing the donators free advertising. Strange to think that reality tv could be doing society at large a real, tangible favor.