The much-maligned world of reality television is winning praise these days for "keeping it real" in an unexpectedly relevant way -- reflecting a more diverse America than its more highbrow cousins in scripted prime-time shows.
Despite decades of public pressure on the major networks to diversify, the lead characters in all but a few of prime-time scripted shows this season are still white -- and usually young and affluent. In contrast, reality programs consistently feature a much broader range of people when it comes to race, age, class and sexual orientation.
For example, CBS' "The Amazing Race" includes an Asian American brother-and-sister team and two African American sisters in its 14th season, which premiered Sunday. Three African Americans are in the current cast of CBS' "Survivor." Four African Americans and two Tongan Americans have been featured on the current season of NBC's "The Biggest Loser."
By contrast, a report released last year by the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People, titled "Out of Focus -- Out of Sync," accused the networks of perpetuating a view of the nation that recalls "America's segregated past." The 40-page report charged that non-whites are underrepresented in almost every aspect of the television industry -- except for reality programming.
That's no accident, according to reality TV producers and creators.
"We're looking to create shows that everyday people can relate to, and for that you really need a true representation of the population," said Dave Broome, executive producer of NBC's "The Biggest Loser."
"A couple of seasons ago, there was an over-the-top character who was white that we could have cast, but we sacrificed that for a Latino. That's how important that is."
The culture mix is driven by more than just political correctness. Although reality shows aren't directly in the business of bringing racial and ethnic enlightenment to America, they are in business. For shows that thrive on conflict and drama, a collection of cast members from varied backgrounds often serves that goal. Unresolved issues surrounding race, class and sexual orientation can either quietly fuel tension on programs or generate outright emotional explosions.
"I don't believe the makers of unscripted programs are necessarily all pro-social," said Jonathan Murray of Bunim-Murray Productions, whose shows include MTV's reality veteran "The Real World." "A lot of times it comes down to the fact that diversity just makes those shows better."
