reality-tv-charity
Television programs that provide direct aid such as medical treatment, housing, and financial assistance to needy individuals, framing social care as personalized and privatized entertainment.
1 chapter across 1 book
Better Living through Reality TV: Television and Post-Welfare Citizenship (2008)Laurie Ouellette; James Hay
Chapter 1 analyzes the rise of reality TV charity programs as a form of privatized social care aligned with neoliberal welfare reform. It situates these programs within a broader shift from the traditional Welfare State to a market-driven 'Opportunity, Inc.' model that emphasizes personal responsibility, self-empowerment, and private sector involvement in social service delivery. The chapter critiques how television, under deregulation, mobilizes compassion and private resources to manage social needs while reinforcing a post-welfare citizenship ethos.