• Networks face sharp decline in young adult viewers; lack of reality shows blamed

  October 12, 2003
  The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reports that the first Nielsen ratings of the 2003-04 season contain bad news for the six broadcast networks. Viewership in the critical 18-34 demographic has dropped from the prior year by 12%.

• Fox TV plans production of 'Making the Cut' reality show about hairdressers

  October 2, 2003
  According to Hollywood Reporter, Fox TV Studios is about to produce a new entry in the "docureality" genre -- one modeled strongly on NBC's The Restaurant. Entitled Making the Cut, the show will focus on a group of apprentice hairdressers, fresh out of cosmetology school, who go to work at a new hair salon In downtown Manhattan being opened by top New York hair stylist Rodney Cutler.

• Bobcat Goldthwait and Jimmy Kimmel team to produce 'Joe Schmo'-like "reality film" for Comedy Central

  September 22, 2003
  Comedy Central and Jackhole Industries have teamed-up to pull one of the greatest and most elaborate prank ever played. Premiering Sunday, October 12, at 9 PM on Comedy Central, "Windy City Heat" is a two-hour original reality film that is the climax to a decade-long practical joke played on its "star" Perry Caravello.

• New Euro reality show offers fashion internship with Stella McCartney to winner

  September 19, 2003
  Daily Variety (registration required) reports that a new reality show being produced in Italy offers fashion students a chance to win an internship with newlywed British designer Stella McCartney.

• U.S. Emmy Awards overlook reality TV, with one chance left to make amends

  September 17, 2003
  Back in July, we were enthusiastic that U.S. reality TV shows were nominated for Emmys in eleven different categories. Today, all we can say is ... ten down, one to go.

• One-time hard rock stars Ted Nugent and Gene Simmons explore reality TV

  September 11, 2003
  Move over, Ozzy Osbourne -- other one-time hard rock stars would like a piece of your TV turf. The Associated Press reports that Ted Nugent, once dubbed the "Michigan Madman" for his wild guitar work and on-stage behavior, will host a two-hour reality competition show on VH1. Meanwhile, former KISS frontman Gene Simmons is also seeking a reality-TV deal.

• Spike TV to air new 'The Reality Of Speed' professional racing reality show

  September 10, 2003
  The self-titled "First Network For Men" is quickly turning out to have quite an appetite for unscripted television programming. Already airing dating show "Blind Date," having just premiered "The Joe Schmo Show" last week, and announced earlier this week that was giving second life to the cancelled "Shipmates" program, Spike TV has now announced plans for a professional racing circuit reality show titled "The Reality of Speed."

• TLC's new 'Resident Life' series to premiere September 8

  September 8, 2003
  The Learning Channel's new "Resident Life" reality documentary series will premiere Monday, September 8 at 8 PM ET. The program, described by USA Today as a "gritty medical series," takes viewers into the world of young doctors and shows the reality of life inside one of the nation's best hospitals.

• Reality dominates summer TV in Adults 18-49 demographic ratings

  September 2, 2003
  The Hollywood Reporter reports that reality TV dominated in the Nielsen ratings among viewers 18-49 during the summer of 2003 ... but that scripted TV continued to reign among older viewers.

• Mike Tyson continuing to pitch ideas for his own reality show

  September 1, 2003
  Those rumors about Mike Tyson getting his own reality television program just won't go away. After his earlier plans for a "one lucky fan trains to fight Mike Tyson" reality show went no where, a Variety report states that Tyson is now pitching a possible reality series in which he would travel the country to meet a cross-section of Americans.

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