Creating Reality in Factual Television: The Frankenbite and Other Fakes

Creating Reality in Factual Television explores the uneasy relationship between economics, culture, and professional ethics in reality and documentary television storytelling, using the frankenbite to manipulate truth and compromise professional ethics. Interviews with editors provide insight into ethical dilemmas and the validation of editing choices.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 170 pages
Publication date: 01 August 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Creating Reality in Factual Television delves into the intricate interplay between economics, culture, and professional ethics in the realm of reality and documentary television storytelling. Through the innovative technique of frankenbiting, which involves extracting and reordering the key elements or single words from statements, interviews, or exchanges to create revealing confessions or arguments, the book explores the ways and motivations behind editors' manipulation of truth in factual television.

The author examines how the editing of documentary television is increasingly influenced by the entertainment-driven nature of reality television, leading to a disregard for real events and the pursuit of captivating storytelling. They also explore how the authenticity and truthfulness of the content are compromised in the name of entertainment, highlighting the ethical dilemmas faced by editors in their decision-making processes.

To shed light on these ethical dilemmas, the book draws upon extensive interviews with 75 North American and European editors, who share their experiences, perspectives, and thoughts on reality and documentary television practices. These interviews provide valuable insights into the responsibilities and loyalties of editors in the field, as well as their self-validation processes for the editing choices they make.

In the context of the age of alternative facts, where misinformation and false narratives dominate the media landscape, Creating Reality in Factual Television emerges as a crucial research tool for scholars and students interested in documentary film, media literacy, genre studies, media ethics, affect theory, and audience perception. It offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics between economics, culture, and professional ethics, empowering readers to critically evaluate the content they consume and engage with media more responsibly.

Weight: 340g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367492717