Quiz Show Application Paper PDF

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This is an example of an application paper about the movie Quiz Show....

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Quiz Show As we grow up, we see different reality shows on television where people compete for money, get makeovers, or are simply followed around in their day-to-day lives. We think that it’s incredible to be that smart, be that lucky, or be that great to receive fame and fortune. But what if it wasn’t like it seemed? What if not all of it was real? In the movie Quiz Show, we see the competition of “geniuses” on a trivia TV show, and the fall of them in the end when the truth is brought to light that they were given the answers to the questions they would be asked. This movie demonstrates how media industries will do anything to keep their power; if it be through taking few risks, having a lack of authenticity, or usurping power over others. One of the things that media industries do to guarantee success is taking little to no risks. In the movie Quiz Show, the producers of the show decide to have certain contestants be given the answers to the trivia questions so that they answer right, they win each episode, and they stay on the show. This is done to create excitement for viewers and to keep them engaged when certain contestants are attractive and stay on the show. We can see media industries doing this in the world today, when they create the same sounding songs that will become hits, movies with similar plots that guarantee popularity, and TV shows with the same drama to get big amounts of viewers.

Another method media industries use, goes along with the little risks method. With a lack of honesty or true reality, comes a lack of authenticity in anything that claims to be reality TV or “realistic” media. In Quiz Show, the contestants Herb and Charles pretend to be geniuses and know all the answers to the questions given them. But in reality, they don’t know all the answers, they’re just given them. This creates a lack of authenticity in the show. The only catch, is that viewers are unaware of the lack of authenticity and thus are more hooked to the show because of the unbelievable genius of these contestants. This raises the number of viewers of the show. But when word gets out that these contestants didn’t actually know all the answers on their own, the popularity of the show tanks.

The last method that the media industry uses is usurping power over other people. Through the conflict theory perspective, the higher ups in NBC have a tremendous amount of

power to twist people’s understanding of others, convince people to do what they want, and even bribe people. An example of this is when they bribe Herb to leave the show by promising him his own panel show. Little did he know that that promise was not sincere and would not be fulfilled. Another example of this is when the journalist meets with the producers. The journalist comes in believing Herb’s account of getting kicked off of the show. But then the producers play a tape of Herb yelling and tell the journalist that Herb is a crazed maniac and is making up lies. The journalist believes the producers for a bit because of their lies and deception to maintain their power and profits from the show. We see the media industry using its power to deceive those lower than it, for the sake of preserving its authority.

Overall, the movie Quiz Show was a great example of conflict theory and the media industry doing everything to maintain its power over the masses. By taking few risks, having a lack of authenticity, and usurping its power over others, the producers of the show kept their show running and growing in popularity. But “all that glitters is not gold.” If you ever watch reality TV, don’t believe all you see. And if you compete in a TV quiz show, don’t take the answers; just take the dive....