Is reality TV scripted?
On One Hand: Reality shows have writersThough they may not write a detailed script like on a sitcom, reality show writers do lay out story arcs, plot points and sometimes even what characters say. In some cases reality show writers even create scenarios for the characters to be placed in so the “reality” can occur.On the Other: They are not really writing the showWhen the Writer’s Guild, the union for television writers, tried to have reality writers paid the same amount of money as scripted show writers, the Guild acknowledged that reality shows are not scripted. Instead, they contend that the “writers” merely push the show in the right dramatic direction.Bottom LineMost reality shows do have writers, but those writers impact the “reality” of what happens on the program in different ways.
