theconversation.com: “Just because you can exploit young, doe-eyed talent desperate for the platform TV gives them, it doesn’t mean you should.” Original Real Housewives of New York star Bethany Frankel recently issued this rallying call for unionisation of reality TV. She hopes to instigate a “reality reckoning” that will help other unscripted TV performers realise their rights to better pay and working conditions.
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One particular detail I found interesting in this article was the comparison between short-running and changing cast reality television (Temptation Island, Survivor, etc.) and long-form reality television with the same cast (Real Housewives, Selling Sunset). Especially on these long-form programs where there is no “prize money” involved and the cast is the show, a union is called for. Appearing on a reality show is not just an experience for long-term talent, but a career. Like any union actor they are filming for specific hours, have to provide press for the show, and are subject to NDA and other studio policies. I do not see why just because their content is unscripted, they should not have the rights that other entertainers do. I was surprised that this article didn’t go more in depth about royalties for reality television talent. As more reality television is being put on streaming services, I would hope the creation of an unscripted talent union would allow them to fight for royalties alongside SAG-AFTRA actors.
I found reading this article really interesting. I hadn’t thought too much about the issues around Reality TV, and how important they are. Clearly there needs to be more discussion about it, considering the issues of pay and working conditions they discussed. I think unfortunately, as Reality TV is often ‘lighter’ mood content, it’s viewed less seriously by both the public and fellow types of entertainment. I hope they find a common ground in attempting to make change within that area of the industry, and that the rest of us in entertainment can learn from their upcoming issues. I thought the quote “Just because you can exploit young, doe-eyed talent desperate for the platform TV gives them, it doesn’t mean you should.” That Bethany Frankel said was important, as not only is it an issue for young performing talent who just want to get noticed, I feel that all young people going into any industry need to be better educated on salaries. They don’t teach people in schools what they ‘should’ be reasonably making when entering certain careers, and so young people are able to be exploited due to their ignorance at times. Teaching people about monetary topics like salaries and taxes and rent and all these staple aspects of life is so important, and it isn’t done enough in educational spaces, which I believe could really change the game for people entering the workforce.
Reality television is such a polarizing topic. On one hand, sometimes it is just mindless television (which is exactly what you need some days) and the other side is that reality television can be a snapshot of life as it currently is or as it could be. That being said, what makes it reality television is typically the hours put into it. So many shows film the cast for days on end with no breaks and the ones that are following people’s lives can be intrusive to their space. How do we protect the rights of all of the people involved during the filming and how do we make it equitable for people, especially children who don’t fully have a say in their schedules? We create unions. I understand the urge to want to create unions, and really rules, for these companies to follow to allow for the people involved, both in camera and off, to be able to live their lives while also maintaining their work schedule. I think unionizing overall would be a smart choice for this form of entertainment to limit what can and cannot be done and overall protection for all involved.
I had not thought about the contents of this article previously, and I assumed that reality TV stars have similar rights to other actors, but I could not have been more wrong. A lot of people see reality TV as an inferior form of entertainment when compared to standard TV shows and movies. However, as the article details, these actors put in hours of their time, potentially even 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and go through significant difficulties. Just because the TV show is a different format than others, it does not mean that the contestants are no longer actors. The producers make money off of them, so it is only fair that they get a fair share of the profits, particularly for the long-term shows that the article discusses. There is more of a conversation to be had for short-term employees who may only work for a few weeks, but those who do this as their main job should have more privileges than they do now.
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