Reality TV is TV right now. Everything else is just making up the numbers. And yet, for all its cultural force, we barely discuss it. But that’s all about to change.
Join Tom Ballard and a panel of industry experts for a half-hour of sharp, cracking panel discussion where they’ll dissect the week in Reality TV, both home and abroad, share war stories and give us the low down on what really goes into making Reality TV. The premiere is 9 pm on August 13.
Panellists for episode one are:
• Julie Goodwin – MasterChef winner of series 1
• Marion Farrelly – Executive Producer of Big Brother, Farmer Wants A Wife, and The Recruit
• Andrew Shaw – TVNZ Commissioning Editor of everything from New Zealand’s Got Talent to Changing Rooms.
During episode one, Tom and the panel will:
• Round up some of the moments from the past week in Reality TV during This Week In Reality,
• Discuss issues such as pre-recorded finales, techniques used to ‘spice’ things up, when does a ‘journey’ begin, what happens when things go wrong, and the importance of a back story, and
• Play Real or Fake
Ending the show on a high note, Tom showcases The Final Three – a countdown of Reality Gold.
Reality Check is co-produced by CJZ and ABC TV. Executive producers are Sophie Zachariou, Nick Murray and Jo Wathen.