But as the country progressed and the television became a regular fixture in every household, ratings became more important. Ratings determined how much money a network made, and ratings depend upon the popularity of a show. Naturally, the news networks were not the most popular shows because they were meant to inform not entertain. The film portrays a news network that has undermined its own values in order to gain higher ratings. The plot of the film is fictional, but it forces viewers to question what they see on television. From a modern view point, the film predicts the rise of reality television, which takes the lives of real people and places them in the spotlight. Although it is called reality television, it is still staged and edited, just like Beale 's
But as the country progressed and the television became a regular fixture in every household, ratings became more important. Ratings determined how much money a network made, and ratings depend upon the popularity of a show. Naturally, the news networks were not the most popular shows because they were meant to inform not entertain. The film portrays a news network that has undermined its own values in order to gain higher ratings. The plot of the film is fictional, but it forces viewers to question what they see on television. From a modern view point, the film predicts the rise of reality television, which takes the lives of real people and places them in the spotlight. Although it is called reality television, it is still staged and edited, just like Beale 's