• 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.

• Summer reality success continues for NBC in Nielsens for week of August 18

  August 27, 2003
  Once again, NBC's summer strategy of multiple reality shows has led it to success among viewers 18-49 in the Nielsen ratings for the week ending August 18. MediaWeek reports that, although CBS continued to lead the overall Nielsens this week, NBC's reality shows, which took 5 of the top 12 places, propelled NBC to #1 among 18-49s, considered to be the most desirable market for advertisers.

• NBC's summer reality shows dominate the top of the Adults 18-49 weekly ratings

  August 22, 2003
  Well, the distinction probably deserves a asterisk next to it due to the East Coast blackout, but with “Who Wants to Marry My Dad?,” “For Love or Money 2” and “The Restaurant” scoring the week’s #1, #2 and #5 ratings respectively, NBC has claimed its 12th straight weeklong victory among adults 18-49. NBC’s “Fear Factor” also impressively boosted the network, tying for the week’s #6 ranking.

• Bravo to air 5-part "The Reality of Reality" documentary series on reality TV starting September 8

  August 22, 2003
  Well it was just a matter of time before it happened... reality television is now receiving its own "True Hollywood Story," "Behind The Music," "Where Are they Now?" style documentary series.

• Writers' union seeks to infiltrate, organize reality TV

  August 13, 2003
  Does 'unscripted TV' really mean that no writers are used? The Writers Guild of America doesn't think so, and it wants a cut from the boom in unscripted TV. According to the Hollywood Reporter, nonfiction shows -- including reality TV shows -- have traditionally been nonunion, even if writers are used. But the WGA, the union which represents Hollywood's powerful writers, is attempting to change that.

• 'Reality summer' continues on U.S. networks as several shows draw high ratings

  August 12, 2003
  Back in the spring, the U.S. networks talked about dumping reality shows; only six shows were scheduled on the four main networks and ABC's Jimmy Kimmel referred to them as "shit". How quickly things change.

• 'Survivor' producer Mark Burnett inks two-year deal to develop scripted series for The WB

  August 12, 2003
  Right now, Mark Burnett is the unchallenged "king" of high-quality U.S. reality TV production, based on his success with Eco-Challenge, Survivor, and the current The Restaurant. However, his first venture into scripted programming failed to even make the schedule at The WB, one of the weakest of the six U.S. broadcast networks. But, in true Eco-Challenge fashion, Burnett is ready to "try, try again."

MORE MISCELLANEOUS REALITY TV NEWS