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Should reality TV producers stop illegal activity?
Here’s one of those ethical questions… and yes, it’s about reality TV.
If the producers or film crew of a show see a contestant break a law, should they intervene?
Apparently on the show “Intervention,” a reality series on A & E about addiction, allegedly, one of the participants, already drunk, took a huge swig of vodka, before heading home, in a car. The producers asked the participant if she wanted them drive and surprise, she refused and got in the car and drove herself home… with the cameras rolling.
Certainly, this isn’t the only show that has raised questions of ethics. “Kid Nation” has been accused of putting the lives of its contestants at jeopardy. Viewers and contestants alike have raised concerns about the safety for the participants of shows like CBS’s “Big Brother” and MTV’s “Real World.”
But, the question remains, who is responsible? Is it the producers of these shows have an obligation to protect those involved or is it the participants? Should A & E have called the police rather than film? Or, are the shows responsible for what happens?
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