Violence on TV isn’t new. Remember Jerry Springer?
Readers weigh in on live-streaming an execution and how reality television has affected our appetites for cruelty as entertainment. Matthew Gilbert's op-ed about the impact of reality TV on violence on television has been surprising, as he did not directly link it to "The Jerry Springer Show," a popular daytime talk show in the '90s. The show, which was the top-rated daytime talk program in 1998, influenced the rise of violence and incivility among viewers. However, he did note that real-life televised legal trials, such as recent trials in Massachusetts, were more salacious. This trend of violence on TV has been traced back to ancient Rome, with animal fights, executions, and gladiators. Following six years of the Trump presidency, Gilbert suggests that we should be doing better by now.
Published : 2 hours ago by in Entertainment Politics
Terrific op-ed by Matthew Gilbert (“ A streamed public execution? Blame reality TV ,” Opinion, Oct 20), but I’m surprised that he didn’t trace the origins of today’s obsession with antisocial behavior... [1722 symbols]
Topics: TV
