How does Hill define reality TV? 

Reality TV is said to be non-scripted, using non-actors and hand held cameras as well as surveillance cameras. I have heard some reality TV shows have been staged to add more drama and so on to appeal to the audiences and boost ratings. Brunsdon et al. (2001) observes that the new style of reality television, referred to as hybrids, creates a combination of genres and formats - for example: docu-soaps - part documentary part soap opera style drama. Reality TV has evolved over time, undergoing a transformation broadening and expanding their styles and formats. Reality shows tend to monopolize prime-time viewing (e.g. Survivor) due to their mass appeal. Factual entertainment and popular factual television are umbrella terms for a variety of formatted and non-formatted reality shows.Today's modern structure can be divided into six categories; documentaries, contemporary factual; specialist factual; current affairs and investigations; arts and culture; life skills and new media. Hill (2005) states viewers want undemanding factual television. The most popular of reality shows in Britain are as follows; observation (67 per cent) information (64 percent) and created for TV (28 per cent). Young teens when asked were vocal about their preferences, disliking reality shows revolving around people's lives except for shows like 'Big Brother.' The success of Reality game shows also leads to a high demand for reality TV. In 1997, Realty shows were criticized by various British media. For example: after Independent interviewed John de Mol, creator of 'Big Brother' in 2000, they referred to reality TV' as "deprivational voyeurism' and 'psycho TV.' The term reality TV has also been referred to as 'extreme history.' There is a continued demand for Reality TV shows with 'real' people in future television as was in the past, regardless whether factual or formatted. Peter Bazalgette believes that it is human interest and not reality that is the definition of popular factual programmes. During the 1980's the term infotainment was used for programmes that were a mix of fact and fiction. At one point, the British viewed Reality TV as an American import that purported to pass so-called documentary type programmes that were more in the field of entertainment. A large part of reality TV programmes appeal to audiences is due to being able to get an intimate look into how other people live; their lives, their trials and tribulations, their successes and failures and the fact that it uses real people (you see their flaws ) not actors, the audience is then able to relate better.      

Hill, A. (2005) The reality genre. In A. Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (pp. 14 – 40). Oxon: Routledge.