Ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances: a study of participants in television dating games

Abstract

Programmes based on the experiences and emotions of ordinary people are an important feature of television schedules worldwide. So far, however, media researchers have done little to investigate the motives and experiences of those who lend their lives to such programmes. This article investigates the experiences of participants in one of the more traditional programme formats based on ordinary people: the television dating game. This article presents evidence from a study of participants in Reisesjekken, a Norwegian dating game modelled upon the British ITV programme Blind Date. The analysis is based on interviews with 40 participants and five producers. The main questions are: Why do people want to participate in a television dating game? What are the main sources of conflict between participants and production staff? And, what do the participants get out of it in the long run?

Keywords

blind date,entertainment,game shows,Norwegian television,participatory communication,television formats,TVNorge

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Alexander, J. (1991) Blind Date. Publication No. 12. Stockholm: Media Department, University of Stockholm.

Armstrong, Cameron B. and A.M. Rubin (1989) `Talk Radio as Interpersonal Communication', Journal of Communication 39(2): 84-94.

Bakøy, E. and T. Syvertsen (eds) (2001) Sjekking på TV: Offentlig ydmykelse eller bare en lek? En studie av Reisesjekken-programformat, deltakere, produsenter, sponsorer og publikum. Oslo: UniPub Forlag.

Fiske, J. (1987) Television Culture. London: Methuen.

Fiske, J. (1991) Reading the Popular. London: Routledge.

Grindstaff, L. (1997) `Producing Trash, Class and the Money Shot: A Behind-the-Scenes Account of Daytime TV Talk Shows', pp. 164-202 in J. Lull and S. Hineman (eds) Media Scandals. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Hagen, I. (1998) `Reaching the Wrong Audience? Fascination and Ironic Distance in Viewers' Relationship to Blind Date', paper presented at the International Association of Media and Communication Research conference, Popular Culture Working Group, Glasgow.

Langestrand, I. (1999) `Reisesjekken: Motiver for deltakelse og tanker om selvpresentasjon. En kvalitativ analyse av sjekking på TV', unpublished degree thesis, University of Oslo.

Livingstone, S. and P. Lunt (1994) Talk on Television: Audience Participation and Public Debate. London and New York: Routledge.

10.

Priest, P.J. (1995) Public Intimacies: Talk Show Participants and Tell-All TV. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.

11.

Tramer, H. and L.W. Jeffres (1983) `Talk Radio - Forum and Companion', Journal of Broadcasting 27(3): 296-300.

12.

Tunstall, J. and M. Dunford (1993) `Light Entertainment', pp. 138-53 in J. Tunstall (ed.) Television Producers. London: Routledge.

13.

Turner, G. (1989) `Transgressive TV: From In Melbourne Tonight to Perfect Match', pp. 25-38 in J. Tulloch and G. Turner (eds) Australian Television: Programs, Pleasures and Politics. Sydney: Allen and Unwin.

14.

Whannel, G. (1992) `The Price is Right But the Moments are Sticky: Television Quiz and Game Shows, and Popular Culture', pp. 179-200 in D. Strinati and S. Wagg (eds) Come on Down? Popular Media Culture in Post-War Britain. London: Routledge.

15.

Williams, R. (1975) Television: Technology and Cultural Form. London: Fontana.