REALITY TELEVISION AND CHILDREN’S RECEPTIVITY: EXAMINING AUDIENCE PERSPECTIVES

Reality genre has become a widely accepted genre across the globe, and because of its growing popularity, especially in India, academic engagement with its impact on audience of varying age groups seems compelling. This study investigates the audiences‟ standpoint of the reality show Bigg Boss and its impact on children. The paper discusses the origin and distinctive nature of the show, and further tends to emphasize how its impact on children vary from other genres. It uses mixed methods to highlight how young viewers engage with Bigg Boss‟s nature and content. It focuses on adults‟ perspectives because of their awareness of its impact and capacity to allow children to watch the show. While using the questionnaire method, researchers argue that Bigg Boss‟s influence on children is emphatically negative, as it affects them at both social and cognitive level. Moreover, the study includes a brief interview with respondents to examine their perspectives in detail and demonstrate the role of media, especially reality television, in the life of children.