The return of reality emerges: What role do social networks play in attracting new generations? | Peru TV | reality shows | The House of the Famous | Great Chef | social networks | AC Stories | We are

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You can search online for home and street videos recording what happened after the first-place finish of the competition in which 14 celebrities were isolated and monitored 24/7 for 71 days. It’s not a simple fact: the second place goes to the Peruvian Nicolas Porcilla, who today is one of the most beloved celebrities out there. Thus all the numbers exceeded what was envisioned: ratings on an open signal (which broadcasts the best moments of the week at home and canceling participants), subscriptions to the VIX streaming platform (which broadcasts all the time, coexistence), online views and interactions on social networks. overwhelming phenomenon.

While this was happening in the northern hemisphere, rumor has it that here in Peru there are already plans to produce similar shows. In fact, “House of Majali” is on the air. In addition to this, the reality show that dominated the nights triumphed, albeit in a different way: “The Famous Great Chef”. Launched via Signal Latina, it is already in its third season in which distinguished public figures in various fields compete to prepare the best dishes. Two decades after the Big Brother franchises, a program created by John de Mol in the Netherlands in 1999, exploded around the world bringing homegrown versions to stardom, one wonders what spurred the resounding return of this type of space in 2023, in least in the region. This is what journalists and communication phenomenologists, anthropologists and popular culture tell us.

Network expansion

The first reason is indisputable: the backlash that “reality shows” and social networks receive. Unlike at the beginning of the century, the power of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok is overwhelming today. While the shows are broadcast on TV, there is a whole strategy on the part of their producers to bombard the internet with videos, clips, memes, and everything one can imagine. But it is added to this that the audience does the same thing in a completely natural way, which reinforces the discussion about the audiovisual piece.

In this way, researcher Claudia Benacini of La Salle University (Mexico City) points out, “reality shows” were able to take advantage of the reach of networks to keep the audience informed before, during and after broadcast. She told Somos: “The networks socialized the event. In fact, many people only follow shows in snippets on YouTube or TikTok. And here it was very clear how that catalysed ‘La casa’ to push the barriers of television, generating all this traffic.”

minutes of fame

Meanwhile, journalist Patricia Salinas brings up a second reason for who participates in the most successful shows: celebrities. “It will always arouse more curiosity to see celebrities in extraordinary situations, but at the same time, everyday for the rest of humanity. On ‘reality shows’, they are shown to be vulnerable. They struggle or suffer or are criticized or appreciated. They laugh, they err, they cry or they win. “They have been humanized,” the TV critic also points out. He adds that personalities with a super-following like “tiktokers” or “youtubers” have been invited to participate in TV proposals.

PUCP anthropologist Alexandre Huerta Mercado adds that this new vitality of “reality shows” must in turn be associated with an expectation on the part of the audience to perceive reality in a different, colorful and even optimistic way. “It is because we see coexistence and everyday life ‘played out’ with humor and in full color on a screen that we have projected a lot of dreams on since we were children. So, we feel that our reality is drawn there and it can also be a kind of beautiful and happy scene, far from the stifling routine that we are so afraid of. And the fear that the news and the street make us feel.”

It will be necessary to see how long the luck of this type lasts today and enjoy it if this is your style of entertainment. For now, yes, pure “like”. //