The Statistics Surrounding Reality TV Suggest That We Have Checked Out From Reality and What It Really Is.

According to statistics surrounding reality TV, 70% of viewers in the UK aged 4 to 65 either occasionally or regularly watch these shows on a regular basis. In 2004, more people voted for the winner of American Idol than voted for president.

Last week, Idol and Dancing with the Stars took the top 3 spots and 4 out of the top ten. Sean Hannity has a segment every Thursday on his radio show that he calls Man on the Street.

He quizzes young college students about their knowledge of politics. Quite often, he is able to get the students to name different Idol contestants after they can't name the Vice President.

In almost all cases, the students talk about voting for liberal politicians. When it comes to statistics surrounding reality TV, the shows blow away the competition by a country mile.

The combined viewership of the previously listed shows according to Nielsen research carried a 51.1 market share. This translates to approximately 58.5 million people in the United States.

Fox News Channel, the winner of the cable news battle, carries a 5.5 share or about 6.4 million people. In fact, the entire prime time viewership for all major cable news networks is 13.6 million. That totals an 11.9 market share or less than the single share of all but one of the 4 reality shows in the top ten.

So while the federal government straps on its jack boots for their daily march over the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, the American public stays huddled on their couches, satiated by the vocal styling of Sanjaya Malakar while complaining about the high price of Marlboros and Mallo Cups.

JUST HOW STUPID ARE WE?

WHAT IS GOING ON?

If you are still not shocked by the statistics surrounding reality TV, think about this. More people watched these two reality shows in the past two weeks than voted in the Presidential election in 2008, one of the most definitive elections so far in our lifetime.

Is it really more important to know whether or not Lawrence Taylor or Steve-O from Jackass can Mambo as opposed to choosing the leader of the free world? Sadly, the answer to that question has become yes to many Americans. To any American who loves his country, this should be a tragic commentary.

In a time of recession, it is easy to see that people may partake in escapism, but this is not a new trend. The history of reality television dates to the early 1990s, and the networks have seen a significant growth in the market, significant enough to utilize almost all air time to the latest creation in the genre.

NO CHANGE IN SIGHT

The statistics surrounding reality TV suggest that the masses will be watching it for a long time to come. As long as this trend continues, Huxley's Brave New World will be accomplished.

There is a scene in the 1966 film Fahrenheit 451 starring Oskar Werner in which he comes home to his wife who is interacting with a soap opera on television. This country has come far enough for the scene to no longer fit in the realm of science fiction.

And like Guy Montag's wife, the public will continue to be sucked in while the government burns the hallowed ground that used to be our liberty.