Master Thesis
University of Amsterdam
Faculty of Humanities
Television Studies & Cross-Media Culture
Supervisor: Dr. J. Kooijman
Second Reader: Dr. J. Teurlings
26 June 2014
Index
Abstract………3 Introduction………..4 1. Authenticity………....8
1.1. Theories about authenticity in reality TV……….8
1.2. How Instagram increases authenticity in Made in Chelsea……….9
1.3. How Instagram increases authenticity in #RichKids of Beverly Hills………..12
1.4. How Instagram increases authenticity in The Voice of Holland……….14
1.5. Conclusion………16
2. Voyeurism………..18
2.1. Theories about voyeurism in reality TV………..18
2.2. How Instagram increases voyeurism in Made in Chelsea………19
2.3. How Instagram increases voyeurism in #RichKids of Beverly Hills………..22
2.4. How Instagram increases voyeurism in The Voice of Holland……….26
2.5. Conclusion………27
3. Viewer Engagement……….29
3.1. Theories about viewer engagement in reality TV……….29
3.2. How Instagram increases viewer engagement in Made in Chelsea……….31
3.3. How Instagram increases viewer engagement in #RichKids of Beverly Hills………34
3.4. How Instagram increases viewer engagement in The Voice of Holland………..36
3.5. Conclusion………38
Conclusion………40
Bibliography………45
Abstract
Reality television is facing much criticism. The real world aspect of the genre is challenged as the promised ‘reality’ is often missing in the television content. Reality programmes are largely staged and edited instead of being spontaneous and real as they promise to be. This causes much skepticism
amongst viewers. In my opinion, enhancing the so-called ‘illusion of reality’ will lead to more
appreciation of reality television by its audience. Therefore reality programmes should try to become seemingly unmediated. This thesis argues that the social media platform Instagram can enhance the illusion of reality in reality programmes. Instagram is a very popular social media application for smartphones that can be used to take snapshots, edit them and immediately share them with friends. The platform is very popular amongst teenagers and 20-somethings, which is the target group of reality television too. However, Instagram is not used by many reality television programmes, while in fact the platform has the ability to contribute to the level of authenticity, voyeuristic experience and viewer engagement in various ways. This thesis will focus on three television programmes that use Instagram and will show how in those cases Instagram can enhance the illusion of reality in various ways.
Reality TV – Authenticity – Voyeurism – Viewer Engagement – Interactivity – Transmedia Storytelling
Introduction
“Certainly, reality TV is a very manipulated format where the basis of it is that real people are put into unreal situations to create a story…” (Ventre 2009).
“A major drawing factor [of reality TV shows] is their purported or actual reality, which assures viewers that they’re seeing life as it really is, sans artifice and storytelling expertise.” (Torre 2013).
"We call it the 'fakest reality show ever" (Schneider 2013).
Reality television is a genre that can be described as “a commercial genre that is less united by aesthetic rules or certainties, but united by providing popular entertainment with a self-conscious claim to the discourse of the real” (Ouellette and Murray 2009, 3). This genre has developed itself into multiple subgenres. “Datingshows, docusoaps, talent contests and a lot of other genres can all be categorized as reality television” (Ouellette and Murray 2009, 4). “What distinguishes all these programmes that fall among reality television from other genres, is that these shows focus on authentic personalities, situations, problems and narratives” (Ouellette and Murray 2009, 5). In other words, reality television is a genre in which the suggested authenticity in its content and characters is crucial. Simultaneously, this genre is commercial and entertaining in essence. The term ‘reality television’ promises the viewer television content based on genuine situations, but people are increasingly critical to whether this is actually the case or if they are being fooled by producers. The above-mentioned quotes show the growing critique and scepticism in the media geared towards reality shows. Many reviews about reality programmes are negative because it seems as though the programmes are largely staged. Nonetheless, reality television is a very popular genre and continues to receive high ratings. Personally, I find this very interesting: why is reality television so popular, while hardly anyone publicly speaks out a positive opinion about it in the press? How is it possible that the genre maintains its attractiveness, despite the prevailing scepticism in the media? As criticism is mainly about the disillusionment of viewers to the lack of ‘reality’, I believe that by enhancing the ‘illusion of reality’, the genre reality television will be
appreciated more. When people are convinced that what they see is real, their opinion about reality series could be more positive.
This thesis wants to show that the ‘illusion of reality’ in reality programmes is increased when producers of those programmes will make use of the social platform Instagram as an additional platform. This thesis aims to answer the following research question:
In short, Instagram is an online photo- and video-sharing service. Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger launched the application on 6 October 2010. It is a smartphone application that allows people to take and edit photos. Besides this function, Instagram also serves as a social platform through which users are able to instantly share these photos with their friends. Instagram calls these friends ‘followers’. When users of Instagram follow their friends, they automatically see the pictures their friends have taken and shared. However, if you follow another person on Instagram, this does not necessarily mean that that other person is able to see your pictures too. This makes Instagram a suitable platform for celebrities, as they can post pictures of themselves that can be seen by their followers, but they do not have to see ones from all of their followers too. Since 2010, Instagram has grown into one of the biggest social platforms worldwide. Today, Instagram has 200 million users that are active monthly, 60 million pictures are posted each day and these photos generate 16 billion likes everyday (Instagram.com 2014).
On 9 April 2014 the Dutch Newspaper AD published an article about the popularity of Instagram. This article claimed that Instagram is becoming increasingly popular amongst teenagers, while the attractiveness of Facebook for this target group is decreasing. Nowadays, 30 percent of teenagers prefers Instagram above all other social networks, whereas only 25% choses Facebook as preferred medium. This is remarkable, because in 2013 Facebook was, with 75 percent of the teenagers, the most popular social network (AD.nl 2014). As both reality television and Instagram have the same young target group, it is interesting to study the rising popularity of Instagram in this context.
This thesis analyses the combination of reality television and social media. However, the focus will not be on ‘social media’ in general, but rather on Instagram as a social media platform in itself. Reality television and Instagram are studied according to theories about three aspects that contribute to the illusion of reality. These are authenticity, voyeurism and viewer engagement. In context of this thesis, viewer engagement will be interpreted as interactivity and transmedia storytelling. All three aspects of the ‘illusion of reality’ will be analysed in separate chapters. Each chapter starts off with a theoretical framework consisting of theories concerning authenticity, voyeurism and viewer engagement. Consequently, three theoretical case studies will be conducted to the corpus of this thesis.
The corpus exists of the British series Made in Chelsea (E4, 2011-present), the American series #RichKids of Beverly Hills (E! Entertainment, 2014-present) and the Dutch series The Voice of Holland (RTL4, 2010-present). Each programme is analysed in separate sections of each chapter. Specific examples of how these programmes use Instagram are examined according to the theories that were presented in the corresponding theoretical framework. Finally the chapters end with a short conclusion based on the three case studies.
The first reality series that is a part of this corpus is Made in Chelsea, commonly referred to as ‘MiC’. Made in Chelsea is a British reality series which airs on channel E4 in the United Kingdom. The official Made in Chelsea website describes the series as: “An eye-opening reality series that follows the lives and loves of the socially elite 20-somethings who live in some of London’s most exclusive postcode” (channel4.com 2014). Made in Chelsea was first aired in 2011 and is currently broadcasting its seventh season. The cast of the series changes every season, but there are some characters that appear regularly across several seasons or have been with the show from the start. Each season, the series has a cast of around twenty people who all know each other from living in the same neighbourhood. However they are not all friends with one another. The series is very popular in the United Kingdom, but is also aired in other countries. In 2013 Made in Chelsea won a BAFTA in the category ‘best reality and constructed reality television show’. MiC is very advanced with their use of social media as it manages multiple social media platforms. At the heart of this is the official website, which incorporates all the different social media tools. There are direct links to the official Facebook-, Twitter-, Instagram and YouTube-account, and all the tweets using the hashtag ‘#e4chelsea’ are united on this website.
The second reality series examined in this thesis is #RichKids of Beverly Hills. This American reality series was first aired in 2014 on the channel E! Entertainment. The series is based on the popular Tumblr-blog Rich Kids of Instagram. This blog posted decadent and over-the-top Instagram-posts from wealthy self-obsessed 20-somethings. The series #RichKids of Beverly Hills, follows the private lives of five of those ‘rich kids of Instagram’. The cast exists of Morgan Stewart, Brendan Fitzpatrick, Roxie Sowlaty and Jonny Drubel, who are all friends. In its title, the series already refers to the Tumblr-blog, and it can therefore be stated that the series revolves around showing fans the stories behind Instagram-posts. The series does this literally, because it uses Instagram within its television content. The storylines within the show use Instagram as a topic of conversations, while the Instagram layout is used. In order to make connections between what happens in the series and the Instagram-accounts of the cast
members. The website of the series also refers to the private Instagram-posts of the cast.
The Voice of Holland is the third television programme analysed in this thesis. TVOH is a Dutch
singing contest that was first aired in 2010. Since then, four seasons have aired and the show has been sold to almost every other country in the world. The difference between TVOH and other singing competitions on television is that The Voice of Holland established the concept of so-called ‘blind-auditions’. The purpose of these auditions is that the judges do not see the people that are performing, which means contestants are solely judged on their singing qualities. After these blind auditions the judges put together a team of contestants that they want to coach and try to make one of the
contestants from their team into the winner of the competition. Instagram is used by TVOH as an extern platform to connect with its viewers. However, the show also incorporates Instagram in the television content itself. To illustrate, during the live shows, Winston Gerschtanoviz covers the ‘Red Room’, a backstage area where he interviews the contestants. At the same time, he illustrates what happens on social media during the live shows. On the so-called ‘Social Walls’, Winston presents what people are posting on social media related to The Voice of Holland. The producers are able to follow this as people make use of the hashtag ‘#tvoh’ in their posts.
The above-mentioned methods aim to answer the research question posed in this thesis. The following chapters will show the ways in which Instagram can be used to enhance the ‘illusion of reality’. The conclusion will illustrate how the ‘magic spell’ of Instagram can be a useful instrument for enhancing the illusion of reality by comparing and contrasting the case studies to authenticity, voyeurism and viewer engagement.
1. Authenticity
As stated in the introduction, people are sceptical of the assumption that reality television is actually showing ‘reality’. This realization is based on the “meta-consciousness of viewers, which means that the audience is aware of the fact that reality television is staged and edited” (Bondebjerg 2002, 178). Regardless of their meta-consciousness, people still watch these shows. According to June Deery (2009, 5) this is because “people have the urge to see something real in the current digital and virtual era”.
Their meta-consciousness makes viewers, when they are watching reality television, aware of the fact that the scenes are constructed because the quality and storylines need to be interesting enough for television. Despite their doubts about the level of ‘reality’ in these series, viewers can still experience a so-called ‘unmediated reality’. “Unmediated reality means, showing ordinary people in (seemingly) unscripted or spontaneous moments in life” (Biressi and Nunn 2005, 11). Hence, it is not evident to viewers that reality series are simulated. It is all about the “experience of an authentic feeling while watching reality television” (Rose and Wood 2005, 295). First some theories about authenticity in reality television will be presented in this chapter. Secondly, the three case studies will illustrate that Instagram can be a useful tool for reality programmes as they create more ‘authenticity’ which optimizes the ‘illusion of reality’.
1.1. Theories about authenticity in reality TV
As a result of their meta-consciousness people are aware that reality television series have a
“constructed and controlled environment” (Hill 2002, 324). Viewers know that in order to create “a large and dramatic effect the represented reality is distorted and staged” (Kilborn 1994, 431). What viewers do, however, find important is that “within that constructed and controlled environment, reality television must show characters that are themselves and authentic” (Hill 2002, 324). According to Annette Hill (2002, 324) this creates authenticity. Aslama and Pantti (2006, 7) argue that “sometimes reality television series are as fake as fictional series”. In fact, reality series are as ‘fake’ as fiction when it comes to the editing and staging of the content. Television makers should “provide content that viewers interpret as unproduced and identifiable” (Rose and Wood 2005, 287-293).
“Tricking the viewer” (Rose and Wood 2005, 287-293) can be achieved by focusing on authentic personalities. The audience perceives reality television as an “edited and modified picture of reality by television producers” (Biressi and Nunn 2005, 31-32). Therefore viewers value characters’ authenticity above all else (Hill 2002, 336). Hill (2002, 337) contends that “within the staged environments, the ‘performances’ of real people create authenticity”. In order to accomplish this, programmes should focus on the “inner stories, narratives of localized feelings and experiences of characters against the
background of social settings” (Corner 2002, 256).
“Viewers of reality television must get the idea that they are watching authentic personalities and narratives in non-scripted ordinary and extraordinary situations” (Ouellette and Murray 2009, 5). However, “the audience now knows that despite the fact that characters of reality series are non-actors,
the things they do are still edited for narrative purposes” (Blazer 2006, 386). “Non-actors are still selected by television producers according to their wishes and visualizations” (Blazer 2006, 386). Contrary to documentaries, is not the aim of reality television to provide viewers information and a complete image of reality like documentaries do. The purpose of reality television is to provide an “entertaining reality” (Bondebjerg 2002, 164-167) which is a reality that brings pleasure to its viewers instead of just truthful information. This “entertaining reality” (Bondebjerg 2002, 164-167) focuses on juicy and melodramatic storylines. Yet, the experiences of the cast members have to look authentic and simply constructing an environment does not lead to this. The emphasis in storylines should be “the actions and emotions of non-actors in a combination of authentic and staged images” (Bagdasarov et al. 2010, 299). The stage of reality television must be “an individual place on public display, it must be a place where people share their private lives with the rest of the world” (Papacharissi and Mendelson 2007, 355).
1.2. How Instagram increases authenticity in Made in Chelsea
Made in Chelsea has its own Instagram-account, e4chelsea, on which relevant short videos and photos
are posted. The combination of aesthetics used and people portrayed in these photos contribute to more authentic content. This section explains how the authenticity in reality programmes can be increased by using Instagram the way Made in Chelsea does.
One of the posts by e4chelsea is a video message from Jamie and Spencer, two of the cast members. The video shows them promoting the upcoming trailer of the seventh season of MiC. The aesthetics of this Instagram-post contribute to the authenticity of the series as it is shot with a
smartphone camera at daylight and in TL-light, which is not very flattering to the boys on the screen. This gives the video a more genuine feel than when they see Jamie and Spencer in the television series. It contrasts, since in the television series every shot has a filter that makes the setting more glamorous and festive. Figure 1.2. shows a still from a scene in Made in Chelsea in which Spencer and Jamie attend a dinner party. The candles in the shot demonstrate that the lighting is edited, because without artificial lighting, the setting would be much darker. It is evident that this is not the case here, as the faces of Jamie and Spencer and the details in the room are perfectly visible. This is divergent to the lighting in the Instagram-post, where there are shadows in the shot. Furthermore the natural lighting makes the cast members seem less tanned than they do in the series (figure 1.1.). Much editing and staging is done in the television version of Made in Chelsea. The theories that were presented in the previous section illustrate how viewers know about this as a result of their meta-consciousness. Additionally, the sound of
the Instagram video-message is an amateurish recording. It uses no other microphones aside from the smartphone. The voices of Jamie and Spencer are loud and clear, but there is much background noise and there seems to be an echo. This is opposite to the sound in the series, which is edited and does not allow for background noises apart from music. Although the television content is clearly edited and staged, the feeling of a “seemingly unmediated reality is created” (Biressi and Nunn 2005, 11). At first sight, it seems as if the series is unscripted and spontaneous. This is important as it is all about the experience of reality rather than the question of reality. The Instagram-post is creating a more authentic unmediated reality than the television content. Because the aesthetics of the video are very amateurish and therefore seem authentic. It seems as if the Instagram-video was shot spontaneously without the involvement of a television producer.
An additional aesthetic aspect of the Instagram video message is how Jamie and Spencer are positioned on screen. Jamie talks with his hands often and imitates the ´forward slash´. He moves his body back-and-forth when he talks which results in him disappearing from the frame several times. The video is shot as a close-up, Spencer and Jamie are shown from the top of their chest to the top of their heads. Consequently, there is no room for them to move, not even for the small movements Jamie makes. This contrasts with the aesthetics in the series, where the cast is positioned perfectly within the frame. Figure 1.2 shows Jamie and Spencer from the chest, but here is a lot more space for them to move because of the camera position. The television series probably has a production assistant who ensures that every frame is filled perfectly and that the scene is filmed again when a characters falls off-frame. The Instagram-video appears to be shot spontaneously as it is clear that there is no editing done. This suggests that it is a non-scripted situation, which is an important aspect in creating authentic narratives.
Furthermore, the body language of Jamie and Spencer contributes to more authenticity. Spencer tries to hold back laughter when Jamie talks. He moves his arms, but because of the small frame it is not clear which gesture he makes towards the camera. At the end of the video, Jamie and Spencer giggle and make toast with their smoothies. These small things in their behaviour are very similar to how normal people would act when they must present something in front of a camera. People usually feel a bit uncomfortable in front of a camera and giggle because they are nervous. Since non-actors are not used to cameras, they will more likely move out of frame, as they do not understand the consequences of movement for the shot. It is this body language that creates a sense of authenticity, it confirms that Jamie and Spencer are real and ordinary people instead of actors, something that is important in suggesting that something is genuine. Therefore, this video has the ability to take away doubts viewers
have about the authenticity of characters. Thus, the content of the Instagram-post is spontaneous in itself, since the way in which Jamie and Spencer behave and the aesthetics of the video make it seem authentic, especially in contrast to the television content.
Accordingly, the aesthetics that the administers of e4chelsea created in Jamie and Spencer their video message provide an illusion of reality. The previous section explained that the style of the video message is the opposite to that of the series. Despite of their meta-consciousness many viewers question the authenticity of series. They do not assume that everything they see is real. The audience knows that the scene in figure 1.2 is most likely staged. However, what they want to know is whether the characters in Made in Chelsea are real and authentic within that constructed environment. According to the theories presented in the previous section, it can be argued that the most important thing to viewers of reality television is authenticity (of the emotions) of the characters. In the television series of MiC, Spencer is the arrogant and vain character. He is a playboy who always cheats on his girlfriends. In the Instagram-video he acts according to this character by putting his chin up, while holding back laughter and giving tempting looks towards the camera. In Made in Chelsea, Jamie is the clown. He always makes jokes and is very hyperactive. This is confirmed in the video as he energetically moves around while he is talking. The toast at the end of the video is initiated by Jamie and is a sort of joke which confirms his clown-character. The Instagram video message demonstrates that Spencer and Jamie are unchanged in an unedited environment as they act the same as their characters in the series. Thus, it shows that they are the real characters in a constructed environment as well. Viewers want the characters in reality television to be themselves (Hill 2002, 324). Therefore, this Instagram-post contributes to the illusion of reality. The Instagram-post illustrates similarities in the characters of Made in Chelsea on staged
television and in the spontaneous Instagram-video. The aesthetics of the Instagram-video and the Figure 1.1: Spencer (l) and Jamie (r) in the Instagram-video Figure 1.2: Spencer (l) and Jamie(r) in Made in Chelsea
television content are contrasting, but the characters of people remain the same in both contents. Although viewers of Made in Chelsea recognise that the series is edited and constructed, Instagram could still enhance the illusion of reality by confirming that the cast is authentic and stays true to
themselves. The legitimacy of reality television is not dependent on the level of authenticity of scenery and events, but more on the
authenticity of its characters. This case thus confirms that Instagram enhances the authenticity of the characters and consequently the legitimacy of reality television.
1.3. How Instagram increases authenticity in #RichKids of Beverly
Hills
There are many television programmes that use Instagram in similar ways to Made in Chelsea, by posting extra footage on an official Instagram-account. However, #RichKids of Beverly Hills proceeds to use Instagram in a significant new way, by integrating Instagram and social media in the episodes themselves. The episode-titles start with
hashtags and the characters use Instagram within the episodes as well. Furthermore the lay-out of Instagram is used in the television content to highlight certain situations. In the following case study it will become evident that the integration of Instagram in #RichKids of Beverly Hills
creates more authentic television content, more authentic personalities and thus creates the illusion of reality.
The series #RichKids is based on the Tumblr-page Rich Kids of Instagram. The series as a whole can be seen as background to the stories behind all the decadent photos posted on the respective Internet-page. The series uses Instagram by highlighting particular events in every episode and showing these in the layout of Instagram. In one scene of #RichKids Brendan organized a surprise performance by a Mariachi-band for his girlfriend Morgan while they were celebrating their anniversary in Mexico. When Morgan walked in to the room she immediately said: “I have to take a picture”, before even greeting her boyfriend (“#yachtlife”. Episode . #RichKids of Beverly Hills. 00.17.47). Morgan then takes a picture with her smartphone and the screen changes into an Instagram lay-out with the picture joined with the caption “#mariachimadness”. The Instagram layout is essentially a still from the episode, but from Figure 1.3: Morgan takes a picture of
the Mariachis…
Figure 2.4: … And shares it on her Instagram-account
Morgan her perspective as she took the picture and posted it on her Instagram-account. Figure 1.3. and 1.4 present the stills of this scene. The integration of Instagram within the television content connects the private life of Morgan directly with the life she leads in front of the cameras of #RichKids. This suggests that Morgan shared the picture of the Mariachi band on Instagram while she was filming the series. Thus, an ‘illusion of reality’ is created as it seems that the Mariachi-band is not just playing for a juicy storyline in the series, but that it is also playing for Morgan in private. In general, Instagram is mostly used to highlight specific moments in a person his private life. The association with the personal lives of the cast create a more authentic television content. In the Mariachi scene, Instagram is used to let viewers create connections between what they see on television and something private and authentic, which enlarges the illusion of reality.
It is not merely the television content that becomes more realistic through the application of Instagram aesthetics. The characters of #RichKids become more genuine by linking their private accounts to the television content. People experience authenticity when they watch ordinary people in reality series. Therefore, reality television should always aim to produce characters who are their own person and thereby authentic. The audience already has their doubts about the authenticity of the setting and the construction of certain scenes, but as long as the people in those scenes and within those settings are real, they are still able to experience an authentic series. By integrating the private accounts of the cast members in the television series itself, it is confirmed that the characters are real and non-actors. Fictional characters could never have their own Instagram-accounts, since they do not exist outside the set. The fact that viewers can actually follow the cast on Instagram, makes the cast immediately more believable when it comes to the feeling of genuineness. The content on Instagram has a lot of similarities to the television series, which proves to the viewer that the cast of #RichKids is real. This optimizes the illusion of reality.
In The Voice of Holland, Instagram is used as an interactive tool. Viewers at home can post pictures and short videos on Instagram while watching the show, by using the hashtag ‘#tvoh’. These posts are potentially shown during the live show on a large screen in the Red Room, called the ‘Social Wall’. In this way, Instagram is integrated in the television series and has, in contrast to how the integration in
#RichKids works, a direct connection to its viewers. This section will analyse, according to theories about
authenticity, how the use of the Social Wall contributes to an experience of more authenticity and thus to an enhanced illusion of reality.
An important aspect of the Social Wall is the fact that viewers at home decide on the content. The producers of the series have little influence on what the viewers at home will post and of what quality the posts will be. Winston uses the Social Wall in such a way that it enhances the idea of a “spontaneous and unprepared” item. He seems to randomly select certain Instagram-posts, as he enlarges them on the Social Wall while he is talking towards the camera. This creates the perception that he is not thinking about which Instagram-post he will single out, as long as it is a post that could serve as an example to the viewers at home. Since Winston appears to be improvising when choosing videos for the Social Wall, he gives viewers the idea that he does not have advanced knowledge about how he is going to react to these posts. Particularly the fact that most posts are shared during the live
broadcasting, contributes to a feeling of an “unmediated reality” as described by Biressi and Nunn (2005, 11). Evidently, Winston is not shown in a completely unscripted moment, as he is clearly in a television studio where he has the task of giving viewers updates on what happens on social media during TVOH live shows. Disparate to the rest of the show, Winston presents the Social Wall in a much more authentic
and unscripted way. The Red Room is a studio backstage, while the show its main hosts, Martijn Krabbé and Wendy van Dijk, present the on-stage part. These presenters are well-prepared and stuck to a tight scheme of presenting. Winston does not seem to be that constricted to a certain schedule or as well-prepared as they are. He is seemingly choosing Instagram-posts in the spur-of-the-moment from the Social Wall and does not pronounce all his words properly as if he has not practiced a script beforehand. In one of the Red Room scenes, Winston enlarges a video that does not work and he subsequently enlarges another post. This indicates Winston his dependency on technology. Furthermore, it confirms that he can never be completely prepared for what is going to happen with the Social Wall-items. Obviously, Winston is a professional presenter and is familiar with cameras and hosting television shows. However, he clearly has little influence when it comes to what he will be illustrating on the Social Wall during the live broadcasting. Despite of the experience Winston has with presenting a television show, he can never be completely prepared for what is presenting during the live shows of The Voice of
Holland. Since Instagram is an authentic and unplanned element of the Red Room, Winston is therefore
more reliant on his own personality in resolving problems and responding to the Instagram-posts. It is however evident that the producers of the series can select the most interesting or funny posts, but these posts themselves are all authentic in the sense that they have been posted by actual viewers. Viewers know that TVOH is edited for narrative purposes and that reality series have an entertaining character. Yet, the fact that viewers can now create their own content gives them the confidence that at least the content on the Social Wall is made or created with little influence by the producers of the series. This makes the Instagram-content authentic and therefore strengthens the spontaneous and authentic way in which Winston presents this item.
Thus, Winston his approach to the Social Wall is impulsive and the way in which Instagram is being used in The Voice of Holland is authentic. In addition, Instagram is used in TVOH to create more authenticity to the contestants. The Voice is unquestionably a spectacular show, mainly due to the performances of the contestants, but also the sensational stage and the way the contestants and presenters are dressed. In contrast, the Red Room is a place where the emotions of the contestants are central, a place of authenticity. The personal feelings and experiences are the storylines in reality television that make the content authentic. By interviewing the candidates after or before their performances, Winston tries to get emotions and inner stories out of them. One of the tools he uses to provoke emotional reactions from contestants is by showing them Instagram-posts from their fans on the Social Wall. These posts are from viewers at home or famous artists who wish the contestants luck during the live shows. After these messages of fans, the camera turns to the contestants and shows their
reactions and emotions. In this instance, in the Red Room Instagram is used to show what the
personalities of the candidates are like when they are not performing on stage. Instagram is a mean that provokes the contestants and makes their responses more authentic and emotional. It demonstrates that the contestants are real, everyday people and not just the extra-ordinary performers they are on stage. Even though The Voice of Holland is a reality series with a high show-aspect which makes it very spectacular, it is also obviously staged. Therefore, the Red Room is an important place in the series, because it produces real-life emotions from the contestants and make them seem more genuine. Authentic characters are, as said before, important for reality series since they can improve the ‘illusion of reality’.
1.5. Conclusion
June Deery (2009, 5) argues that “in the current digital and virtual era, people want [to see] something on television that is real”. Though Instagram might seem digital or virtual as it is an online social media platform, this chapter has shown that it can be a useful tool for reality television programmes to enhance the notion of authenticity. This is significant because viewers are very sceptical about the level of authenticity in reality series. The reality series Made in Chelsea, #RichKids of Beverly Hills and The
Voice of Holland use Instagram differently, but it contributes to a feeling of ‘reality’ in all three series. MiC uses Instagram as a platform aside from the television series, since they use the official
Instagram-account to post video messages of the cast members. The amateurish aesthetics of these videos create a feeling of authenticity and within this seemingly unedited environment the characters of the series become more authentic as well. The characters are perceived to be the same in an unedited
environment as they are in the highly edited television series. In #RichKids, Instagram is used within the television content. By using the Instagram layout, it appears to be that the events in the series can also be found on the private Instagram-accounts of the cast. Thus, #RichKids uses Instagram to connect the private lives of the cast to the events that happen in the series, and therefore creates more authentic television content. TVOH uses Instagram as an interactive tool that viewers can use in order to be visible on the Social Wall during the live shows. As the Social Wall is presented in an unplanned manner, the show becomes more genuine. Additionally, Instagram is used by TVOH in order to make the contestants of the show appear more authentic, by showing Instagram-posts to provoke emotional responses. The fact that all three programmes use Instagram in a different way yet all contribute to more reliable television content, demonstrates the versatility of Instagram in how it is able to enhance the authenticity of reality television. Instagram can be used to enhance the authenticity of the content or make the cast
of reality programmes appear more genuine. The illusion of reality, produces more trustworthy
storylines and characters which consequently makes the reality show more real to its viewers. Therefore Instagram is an important tool for producers of reality television, as it enlarges the illusion of reality by creating a level of authenticity in reality programmes.
2. Voyeurism
According to Blazer (2006, 380) “reality television gives viewers a feeling of mediated voyeurism”. Voyeurism is the feeling of pleasure one gets from secretly watching someone. In reality television the cast is seemingly unaware of the camera and while they are followed in their private lives the genre of reality television could therefore be described as voyeuristic to viewers. This chapter will introduce certain theories of voyeurism in reality television. Subsequently these theories are linked to the ways in
which Made in Chelsea, #RichKids of Beverly Hills and The Voice of Holland use Instagram. At the end of this chapter it will become apparent how the usage of Instagram enhances voyeurism and as such has an impact on the illusion of reality.
2.1. Theories about voyeurism in reality TV
Voyeurism is entertaining to people as they derive pleasure from seeing something they were not supposed to see. According to Nabi (Nabi et. al 2006, 431) it is a natural desire as “people are always curious for the private lives of others”. Reality television is a genre that provides viewers a voyeuristic experience and it can therefore be assumed that the genre is entertaining to them. As the genre shows “ordinary people in an actual and unscripted environment” (Papacharissi and Mendelson 2007, 367) it can be derived that viewers get the feeling they are watching the “apparently real and unguarded lives of ordinary people” (Blazer 2006, 380). Although the previous chapter explained that reality television is inherently staged and constructed, this should never be too apparent as that would take away an authentic viewing experience. Furthermore, the level of voyeurism experienced by viewers may
disappear when reality series are too obviously staged. Voyeurism is associated with seeing the ‘private’ lives of others and not their public lives. Reality television is therefore voyeuristic, because something is moved from the private sphere into the public. Therefore, reality series give off an impression that the characters are unaware of their ‘private lives’ being in the spotlight. Viewers are given “the feeling of having complete access to all that is hidden” (Deery 2009, 5-6). It is therefore essential for producers to ensure that people experience voyeurism when they watch reality series as voyeurism is entertaining to viewers.
Reality television follows the lives of ‘ordinary people’ which is an significant characteristic since viewers are interested in “seeing the private lives, daily interactions and real life experiences of ordinary people” (Nabi et al. 2006, 431) (Papacharissi and Mendelson 2007, 357) (Reiss and Wiltz 2004, 74). Voyeurism is established when viewers get the feeling of looking into the private, daily lives of ordinary people and especially by seeing things that would usually have been out-of-sight. “It is important that the people shown in reality television seem ordinary, then empathy is created” (Nabi et al. 2006, 441). Therefore reality series often make use of so-called “confession scenes where characters from reality series are sharing their feelings and thus become more real and sincere” (Nabi et al. 2006, 441).
It is important to realize that reality series create a different experience of voyeurism than the original voyeuristic feeling. First of all, the characters in reality series know that they are being filmed and therefore realize that people are infiltrating their private lives are (Deery 2009, 6). Secondly, the
experience of viewers altered as they share the voyeuristic feeling with many other people. The audience therefore ‘spies’ in public and is able to share this voyeuristic experience with others rather than ‘spying’ on the characters in private spheres. June Deery (2009, 6) calls this “mass voyeurism” . This enriches voyeurism as people can share these feelings with others instead of just experiencing it alone.
2.2. How Instagram increases voyeurism in Made in Chelsea
It is interesting to study the private Instagram-accounts of the cast from Made in Chelsea with regard to voyeurism. These private Instagram-accounts are managed by the cast members themselves and are therefore associated with their lives off-camera. This creates the association of being more private and “real” than the respective television content. This
section will analyse the Instagram-behaviour of the cast of Made in Chelsea according to the theories of voyeurism and reality television. This case will prove that Instagram contributes to an experience of voyeurism and consequently to a greater illusion of reality.
Made in Chelsea and its official Instagram-account are owned by the series’ producers and can
therefore never be completely spontaneous and unedited. Commercial incentives will always get in the way of truthful content. In contrast, the private accounts of the cast members of MiC are administered by the cast members themselves and are, at least seemingly, not edited and constructed by the
producers and seem more spontaneous as they do not share the commercial interests. For these reasons the private accounts of reality personalities become a reflection of their seemingly “real and private lives”. In April 2014, MiC-character Louise Thompson posted a picture of her Made in Chelsea colleague Mark Francis Vandelli on her private Instagram-account. As seen in figure 2.1. this picture shows Mark Francis sitting in a folding chair, wrapped in foil against the cold while waiting on set of the series. This picture was able to create a greater feeling of voyeurism than the series or official Instagram-accounts. This is because “mediated voyeurism” (Blazer 2006, 380) is caused by an experience of spying on people who are in unscripted surroundings. The “meta-consciousness of viewers” (Hill 2002, 324), as discussed earlier, makes the audience aware of the fact that reality television is more scripted and staged than it
Figure 2.1: Mark Francis (and in the back Jamie and Stevie) behind the scenes of Made in Chelsea
seems. People know that reality series are often constructed and edited and this makes the voyeuristic experience when watching those series smaller. Instagram is different, because there is less “meta-consciousness” (Bondebjerg 2002, 178) involved. Instagram followers have the idea that what they see is all real and not edited apart from the occasional filter used to make the picture more attractive. Made in
Chelsea itself already gives viewers a voyeuristic experience, since it is a reality series and exposures the
seemingly private lives of the young elite from Chelsea. However, some viewers might be sceptical about the level of reality in Made in Chelsea and thus experience less voyeurism. Instagram has the ability to give some additional voyeuristic pleasure. When viewers of a reality series are looking for an enhanced voyeuristic experience, they can find that through Instagram. There seems to be less editing and construction involved in Instagram and thus the private accounts of a cast of a reality series could provide more voyeuristic experience than the series itself. As a consequence, the private Instagram-accounts of reality personalities are an additional platform to make the voyeuristic experience to viewers more complete.
Aside from additional voyeuristic enjoyment to the audience of Made in Chelsea, the private Instagram-accounts of the MiC-cast show the audience a different side of the cast members. In this case Instagram makes the image of the characters of the series more complete. Reality television aims to give the audience an “entertaining image of reality” (Bagdasarov et al. 2010, 299). This suggests that the series Made in Chelsea is only reveals the melodramatic and spectacular events in the lives of the cast. The private Instagram-accounts of the cast gives an account of ordinary situations. This is because Instagram is used mainly to capture and share things in life that Instagram-users find appealing or inspiring. As a result, most Instagram-posts are snapshots of food, outfits or sceneries. These are things that are not interesting enough to be main objects in reality series because of their lack of drama. The private Instagram-accounts of the MiC-cast do not focus on what the producers believe to be
entertaining. Rather, the private accounts publish Instagram-posts that are interesting according to the cast members themselves. The content on Instagram might be less spectacular than television-content but it could be just as entertaining. This is due to the fact that private Instagram-accounts of reality characters are enhancing a voyeuristic experience. Viewers get to see things that the reality series hides from them and shows them something which seems more real and private than the television content. The picture of Mark Francis Vandelli at the set of Made in Chelsea shared by Louise on her Instagram-account, shows something that would never been broadcasted in the series. Mark Francis plays with his phone in the picture and on the background cast members Jamie and Stevie eat candy while they chat to one another. This is a scenery that would not be interesting enough for television, as it is not dramatic
enough. However, it is still entertaining for the viewers because it provides them voyeurism. On television the audience only gets to see the cast of Made in Chelsea in spectacular and dramatic moments in their constructed and mediated private lives. Yet, precisely the unspectacular, daily and ordinary moments in the lives of strangers create a voyeuristic feeling. As the private accounts of the
Made in Chelsea characters focus more on these daily things in contrast to the television series,
Instagram creates more voyeurism than the television series. Viewers understand that they do not get to see everything in the lives of the Made in Chelsea characters, since they only see the dramatic parts of their lives. Instagram reveals the less dramatic sides of the characters, which makes the audience believe that they have complete image of the cast of MiC. They see how they are in front of the cameras, but also get to see the cast members outside of this. This illustrates that the private use of Instagram by reality television characters produces a version of the cast which is both unmediated and mediated. Thus, the image seems more complete.
The feeling of voyeurism that is created with the private Instagram-accounts of the MiC-cast is different from the voyeuristic feeling which is enhanced by the television series Made in Chelsea. Deery (2009, 6) argues that “reality television creates a feeling of mass voyeurism where viewers share their voyeuristic experience with others and spy on people that are aware of the fact that they are being watched”. The series Made in provides the voyeuristic experience described by Deery (2009, 6), but Instagram has the ability to create an additional voyeuristic experience, more traditional and less mediated. This is because of the fact that on Instagram the feeling of voyeurism seems more exclusive. Furthermore, the people shown in Instagram-posts are not always aware of the fact that the picture is shared with thousands of followers. The post by Louise creates this more traditional voyeuristic feeling, because, in contrast to the television series, the voyeuristic experience is shared with less people. Not all viewers of Made in Chelsea follow Louise or other MiC-characters on Instagram. Therefore the content shown on private Instagram-accounts is more exclusive, it is only seen by dedicated fans of MiC and not the regular viewers. Fans are involved with the television show and want to know more about the private lives of the MiC-characters if they follow them on Instagram. This exclusiveness causes a more traditional voyeuristic pleasure, since viewers share the voyeuristic experience with just an exclusive group and therefore feels more like spying in secret. Additionally the people in Instagram photos are not always aware of the fact that they are being spied on by a large audience. In reality series, the cast is completely aware of the cameras and know that they will be watched by millions of people when the series is aired on television. This is different with Instagram. The post by Louise contains Jamie and Stevie on the background and they are apparently unaware of the fact that Louise took the picture, let alone
realize the photo would be shared with the 230.000 followers of thelouisethompson. The same goes for Mark Francis, he might seem aware of the fact that Louise took a picture of him, as he is posing for the camera. However, it is not sure if he knows the picture would be shared on Instagram. This makes the voyeuristic experience for the followers Louise Thompson on Instagram more traditional than when they watch the television series alone, since the feeling of spying on strangers is present and this feeling is shared with an exclusive group of dedicated fans. Instagram is therefore a tool that provides viewers with more traditional voyeuristic pleasure instead of mediated voyeuristic pleasure.
2.3. How Instagram increases voyeurism in #RichKids of Beverly Hills
As mentioned previously, the reality series #RichKids of Beverly Hills uses Instagram within the episodes itself. Instagram is a subject in each episode because the cast members often take pictures and openly say that they post them on their Instagram-accounts. This is then frequently combined with the Instagram interface to ‘prove’ to the viewer that this picture eventually was shared on Instagram. This chapter will show how such a usage of Instagram integrated within the television content can enhance a voyeuristic experience that will eventually contribute to the illusion of reality.
#RichKids of Beverly Hills is, in fact, voyeuristic as it reveals the background to Instagram-posts
of rich kids that were collected on the Tumblr-page Rich Kids of Instagram. Normally the only context behind an Instagram-post is the short caption describing the picture in a few words. The series #RichKids, however, reveals the whole story behind Instagram-posts. The huge success of the Tumblr-page Rich Kids
of Instagram elicited many a lot of strong opinions from visitors of the website about the people shown
on the decadent Instagram-posts.#RichKids of Beverly Hills is, in fact, voyeuristic as it reveals the
background to Instagram-posts of rich kids that
were collected on the Tumblr-page Rich Kids of Instagram. Normally the only context behind an
Instagram-post is the short caption describing the picture in a few words. The series #RichKids, however, reveals the whole story behind Instagram-posts. The huge success of the Tumblr-page Rich Kids of
Instagram elicited many a lot of strong opinions from visitors of the website about the people shown on
the decadent Instagram-posts. According to these posts, only the superficial and extravagant sides of the young rich kids were shown and not their actual personalities. #RichKids of Beverly Hills seemingly wants to show those actual personalities by displaying the stories behind Instagram-posts. Consequently, people are able base their opinions about the ‘rich kids’ on more than just one picture. The series is a background to Instagram-posts, as normally one does not get to see how and why an Instagram-photo is shot. Therefore #RichKids is voyeuristic in general. The way Instagram is integrated within the storylines of #RichKids brings viewers of the series closer to the original moment these pictures were taken. Voyeuristic enjoyment is enhanced because of the fact that viewers get to see something that normally would be private. In one of the episodes Dorothy and Morgan hunt houses as Dorothy is searching for her first apartment. In one of the apartments’ bathrooms, Dorothy reckoned that the marble stones of the bathroom matched the outfit Morgan was wearing. Dorothy decided to take a picture of Morgan in the bathroom to underline the colour match. This scene is brought into view with an over-the-shoulder shot of Dorothy while she takes the picture of Morgan posing. Then a screenshot of the Instagram-post displays the Instagram-post of the picture Dorothy took of Morgan. Figure 2.2. and 2.3 show how the
Figure 2.3: A screenshot of the Instagram-post Figure 2.2: Dorothy takes a picture of Morgan
connection between Instagram and this particular storyline is brought into view. Comparing both images, the television series displays more than the Instagram-post does. In the Instagram-post Morgan is shown from her knees upon her head with a small part of the bathroom seen at the background. The television series reveals a lot more, whereas on the Instagram-post Dorothy is not shown as she takes the picture, in the series she is completely visible while taking the picture. The frame of pictures made with the Instagram-application always have the same frame-standard, the pictures have a small frame as they are adjusted to the fence of a smartphone. As a result of a bigger camera frame, the television series can show a lot more than the Instagram-photo. The television series reveals that Morgan is posing bare footed on the bath platform and shows the perspective of Dorothy due to a more complete view of the bathroom. Furthermore, the television series can provide the viewer perspectives from various camera angles. With Instagram, it is impossible to create a view from different perspectives, since only one camera can be used to create a post. Additionally to the way in which the aesthetic aspects of television can reveal more than an Instagram-post, #RichKids can also reveal more about the situations in which the picture was taken. Whereas Instagram can just describe a picture in one sentence, the television series can tell the whole context of a picture extensively. #RichKids shows why Dorothy took the picture, how she took it and what happened before and after she decided to take the picture. This brings the viewer closer to the original moment Dorothy took the picture. Consequently viewers can feel as if they were part of that moment. Normally, people do not get to see this moment, it is a private moment and only the eventual picture is being shared with others. #RichKids makes it possible for viewers to
experience a feeling of voyeurism as it enhances a feeling as if they are seeing something they were not supposed to see. The way in which Instagram is integrated within the television content of #RichKids thus emphasizes that the series has the ability to show the viewer way more than Instagram can. Commercially seen this connection to Instagram within television content can be essential as it refers to the Tumblr-account Rich Kids of Instagram. The Tumblr-site was very popular which can result in a very popular television programme as well. People that enjoyed the Tumblr-account will probably like the television programme about the rich kids too as the series promises them to reveal more, which leads to the promise of more voyeuristic enjoyment. The subject of the series #RichKids is responding to
something that already proved to be successful, therefore the series can guarantee success even before it is broadcasted.
The integration of Instagram within the series #RichKids gives viewers the impression that what they see is unconstructed and trustworthy. As mentioned earlier, Instagram is associated with captured moments in daily lives. By linking its storylines to the private Instagram-accounts of the cast,
#RichKids strengthens the feeling that what is shown in the series might be filmed, but is still part of the
private lives of the cast. Therefore the series becomes more genuine and thus voyeuristic, as it takes away parts of “meta-consciousness” (Bondebjerg 2002, 178). The storylines are directly connected to the private lives of the cast members thus the scepticism about whether something is real or not, will disappear. Without the link to Instagram, viewers of #RichKids would have doubts about whether Dorothy was really interested in the apartment she visited and probably question if Dorothy and Morgan are close friends off-camera too. Yet, the integration of Instagram proves that Dorothy and Morgan are friends in real life too, as Dorothy posts a picture of Morgan on her private Instagram-account.
Considering Dorothy posts a picture on her private-account while house hunting, confirms that she seems to see the event as something private. By all means, the house hunting event would be different to Morgan and Dorothy when there were no cameras involved. The scene is always constructed and staged for television, but the link to Instagram confirms that the core of the events in the series are authentic. This case explains that the integration of Instagram within the storylines of #RichKids can enhance a voyeuristic viewing experience and consequently enlarge the feeling of authenticity.
As mentioned earlier, #RichKids of Beverly Hills gives viewers a feeling of having exclusive knowledge about the cast members. Viewers of the series feel as if they personally know the characters from #RichKids because the series reveals more than Instagram can. This results in an audience that feels strongly engaged to the characters that appear in #RichKids. According to just figure 2.3, which shows the Instagram-post of Morgan posing in the bathroom, Morgan might seem spoiled and arrogant because of her expression and the expensive bag she wears. However, the series reveals a different perspective of Morgan. The series confirms that Morgan has the same insecurities all girls her age have. She shows to be very critical about the way she looks and is not pleased with how she looks in the picture Dorothy took of her. While discussing the ‘bathroom-picture’ Dorothy and Morgan are making jokes about their ‘bitch brow’. This is an insider joke between Dorothy and Morgan about their unintentional arrogant facial expression. The self-mockery and insecurities that Dorothy and Morgan express in this scene, makes them more natural and genuine and results in more empathy towards them. In contrast to the Tumblr-account, the series #RichKids creates a more sympathetic feeling towards the ‘rich kids’ since viewers can get to know them more personally. In this case voyeurism is essential in order to make viewers more engaged with the cast of a series and thus the series in general.
2.4. How Instagram increases voyeurism in The Voice of Holland
In The Voice of Holland Instagram is integrated within the television content, however differently than in
#RichKids of Beverly Hills. Instagram is used as a way to interact with its viewers during episodes. This
section examines how in the live shows of TVOH, Instagram is used in the Red Room and by viewers and how this contributes to a more voyeuristic experience that enhances the illusion of reality.
The way in which the Social Wall uses Instagram enhances mass voyeurism and as a result unifies the audience. When viewers use the hashtag ‘#tvoh’ to describe a post on Instagram, there is a
possibility that they will become visible on the Social Wall and consequently is shared with the whole country. By using ‘#tvoh’ in their caption, viewers can share something private with the whole country as watching television is something people do individually. The Social Wall unites viewers from all over the country as they can share the experiences of watching TVOH with everyone who watches the live shows too. Watching the Red Room environment within The Voice of Holland already creates a mass voyeuristic experience. The fact that the Red Room presents the contestants of TVOH backstage, reveals something that is normally not broadcasted in talent shows which makes the Red Room a voyeuristic element of the series. Since TVOH is a reality series aired on television, viewers know that they share their voyeuristic experience with others, which enhances a mass voyeuristic experience. Due to the fact that viewers can now share this voyeuristic experience publicly with others, by sharing their viewing experience through social media, expands the feeling of mass voyeurism. This feeling of mass voyeurism improves a unified viewing experience when watching TVOH.
Additional to enhancing mass voyeurism, the Social Wall also serves as a tool to that makes the content itself more voyeuristic. The genre reality television provides viewers a voyeuristic viewing experiences as “it follows ordinary people in their daily and private lives” (Papacharissi and Mendelson 2007, 357). However, The Voice of Holland is a very spectacular show and contestants take part that have extraordinary voices. Therefore can be argued that TVOH differs from other reality series as there is a lack of ordinary and daily situations. Nonetheless another aspect that can create a voyeuristic viewing experience is when a television programme reveals the private lives of genuine and ordinary people.
TVOH contains a part in which the contestants are publicly performing in front of the whole country. This
part of the show can be seen as the spectacular, non-voyeuristic part. Furthermore, TVOH also has a voyeuristic part, which takes place in the Red Room. This place is presented by Winston Gerschtanoviz who interviews the contestants backstage and shows what happens on social media during live shows.
When Winston interviews the contestants of TVOH he regularly uses Instagram to provoke them to express their emotions and feelings. According to Nabi, this is essential for reality programmes, as “emotions and feelings of ordinary people enhance empathy” (Nabi et al. 2006, 441). It shows the contestants in a situation that normally is not broadcasted to viewers. Singers are normally seen on stage in extravagant outfits while performing. However, the Red Room shows that the contestants of The Voice
of Holland are not famous singers yet, but are still ordinary people that want to become famous. When
Winston presents Instagram-videos or photos from fans or celebrities on the Social Wall he directs to the contestants. The contestants often are surprised and impressed when they receive personal Instagram-messages from fans or celebrities. When Winston for instance, showed TVOH-contestant Gerrie a video message from the famous Dutch singer Glennis Grace the camera focused on the reaction of Gerrie after seeing the message. Gerrie seemed to be very honored and impressed after seeing the encouraging Instagram-video by Glennis Grace. The Instagram-video, in this way, confirms that Gerrie is not a famous singer yet as she still looks up to Glennis Grace and seems just as surprised as ordinary people would be after receiving a personal message from a celebrity. Therefore Instagram shows to be a tool that can be used to provoke emotions and feelings which enhances a larger voyeuristic experience as expressed feelings makes the contestants of a reality series more genuine and ordinary. Consequently empathy is created, which is essential for a reality series like TVOH, the show must encourage its viewers to vote for their favorite contestants as this generates profit. When viewers feel empathy for particular contestants they will vote for their favorite contestants as they want to support them. In TVOH Instagram can thus be necessary in order to make the series more personal, emphatic and authentic which distinguishes it from other live shows and makes it part of the reality television genre.
2.5. Conclusion
June Deery (2009, 8) argued that “by using a supplementary medium like the Internet, reality television can bypass conventional restrictions of what is shown and what is being left out” (8). Reality television in itself is voyeuristic, since it reveals things that normally people are not supposed to see. Yet, the feeling of voyeurism created by reality programmes can be enlarged when producers of the series would make use of Instagram. This chapter showed how the programmes Made in Chelsea, #RichKids of Beverly Hills and The Voice of Holland make use of Instagram in order to enhance voyeurism and as a result improves the illusion of reality. In MiC the private Instagram-accounts of the cast completes the voyeuristic experience of the audience. The television series is constructed and edited and airs only the dramatic
and spectacular moments in lives. However, the private Instagram-accounts of the cast show the more daily and ordinary parts in their lives and therefore seems less simulated. Instagram can contribute to the feeling as if viewers know everything about the cast and thus makes it voyeuristic. Whether when watching television content, viewers might have the feeling of missing the ‘real unconstructed’ parts of the lives of the cast, this feeling will disappear when they find additional (private) content on Instagram. In #RichKids of Beverly Hills Instagram is also a platform that promises its viewers a complete story. Only in #RichKids this promise is made as it reveals the story behind particular Instagram-posts. The series provides a voyeuristic viewing experience as it is suggested that what is shown on television is truly part of the private lives of its cast members. The connection between television content and private lives enhances a voyeuristic feeling. Voyeurism in this case makes its viewers more empathic to the characters since they get the feeling as if they know the cast personally. Therefore voyeurism will lead to more invested viewers. In The Voice of Holland, Instagram is a tool that enhances mass voyeurism and thus unifies the audience. Furthermore, TVOH uses Instagram in order to provoke emotional responses from the contestants of the series. This creates voyeurism, as the focus on feelings and emotions confirms that the contestants of TVOH are just ordinary people and since the environment of the Red Room gives viewers an exclusive feeling as it is a backstage area. For TVOH a voyeuristic experience is essential, since this enhances empathy towards the contestants. This is paramount as empathy encourages viewers to vote for their favorite contestants and voting means making profit for the producers of TVOH. In sum, this chapter showed that Instagram could be used in various ways to create a voyeuristic viewing experience and can make television content itself more voyeuristic. This chapter showed that voyeurism is often associated with the private lives of ordinary people. This is comparable to what reality television wants to provide its viewers as it gives viewers an insight in the private lives of ordinary people. The bigger the voyeuristic feeling is, the more viewers will have the feeling that what they see is private and genuine. Therefore a great voyeuristic experience contributes to the enhancement of the illusion of reality.
3. Viewer Engagement
Jenkins (2006, 69) argued that “for a strong emotional impact, media content should extend across as many media as possible”. Applying this quote to reality television, this means that the content of reality television must be told through various platforms in order to create viewer engagement. This chapter explains how Instagram could be used as such an additional platform for reality television content in order to enlarge viewer engagement. The theoretical framework of this chapter introduces theories about two aspects of viewer engagement, which are transmedia storytelling and interactivity. The theories about these subjects are used to analyse how Made in Chelsea, #RichKids of Beverly Hills and
The Voice of Holland make use of Instagram as an extra platform. Eventually will be illustrated how these
three reality programmes make use of Instagram to enhance viewer engagement which enlarges the ‘illusion of reality’.
3.1. Theories about Viewer Engagement in reality TV
Sometimes a television programme, movie or a book can be connected to a lot of stories that concern the same subject but are told through various media platforms. The original story is then called the “macrostory” and the stories that are built around or based on that macrostory are called “transmedia stories” (Scolari 2009, 587). Transmedia stories can thus tell original television content via other devices than just the television screen. As Jenkins (2006, 3) puts it “television content now circulates across various media platforms”. There are four types of transmedia storytelling according to Scolari (2009, 598). First, “interstitial microstories” are stories “strongly connected to the macrostory and often fill in the gap between seasons or episodes” (Scolari 2009, 598). Second, Scolari (2009, 598) distinguishes “parallel stories” which are transmedia stories that “take place in the same time as the macrostory”. Third there are transmedia stories that only have a small connection to the macrostory, these are called “peripheral stories” (Scolari 2009, 598). The fourth type of transmedia stories that Scolari (2009, 598) describes is “user-generated content”, content based on the macrostory that is created by the audience. Because of the fact that transmedia storytelling tells one story through various platforms it is
commercially seen quite interesting. Hardy (2011, 8) therefore calls transmedia storytelling “commercial intertextuality”. The fact that a larger audience can be reached through transmedia storytelling, makes it commercial. “Different audience segments are attracted because of all the possibilities in which the audience can consume a story” (Scolari 2009, 590). Also transmedia storytelling is commercially
