• ESPN planning 'Survivor'-like 'The Wild Rules' survivalist reality show

  June 10, 2003
  ESPN has announced that taping will begin June 13 for "The Wild Rules," an adventure race that will debut September 8, 2003 as part of ESPN's prime-time outdoors block. "The Wild Rules" will pit two six-member teams against each other and the forces of nature in a trek across British Columbia in which speed and outdoor survival skills will determine who among the 12 contestants takes home the $100,000 prize.

• FOX casting for new 'Love Spell' show that gives "personable" men a chance to date beautiful women

  June 10, 2003
  Are you a single, attractive, outgoing, and energetic woman age 21-30 who is looking to meet Mr. Right? Or are you a single, outgoing, and personable (notice no mention of the work "attractive" there folks) man age 25-35 who has always wanted to date a beautiful woman, but hasn't been so lucky? (likely because of above noted absence of the adjective "attractive.")

• Bravo Canada to air 'Strip Search' Canadian male stripper search

  May 27, 2003
  Ah, what a day it's been for the formerly highbrow Bravo cable channel. First they announce their pathetic "let's trick a gay guy into falling for a straight guy" new reality series, and now we learn that Bravo's Canadian channel is finally doing what Canadians have been clamoring for -- giving them an opportunity to tryout for their own reality television program.

• Reality shows take 5 of top 10 rating slots in U.S. 2002-03 season

  May 22, 2003
  They may be disappearing from the fall schedules, but reality shows are still atop the ratings. According to the Associated Press, five of the top 10 shows during the 2002-03 TV season were reality shows.

• Network fall schedules feature few reality shows

  May 19, 2003
  The Associated Press reports that, during the preview of fall schedules by television networks last week, few reality shows made an appearance. In fact, only one of the 38 new shows could even vaguely be called a reality show: Steve Harvey's talent show. The other 37 new shows are all scripted.

• UK 'Second Chance' reality TV "hero" expelled from elite school

  May 9, 2003
  Reuters reports that one of the most adverturous reality-TV shows, an English show entitled Second Chance that mixed a reality format with social reform, has come to a sudden and unexpected conclusion when its 16-year-old "star," Ryan Bell, was expelled from the Downside School in Bath, near the Welsh border..

• NBA launches playoff-oriented reality series on NBA TV

  April 28, 2003
  Can't get enough of the NBA playoffs? NBA TV has the perfect answer for you. According to Hollywood Reporter, the network, which generally airs only on DirecTV and Dish Network, is launching an eight-episode, half-hour show focusing on one player from each of the 16 playoff teams. Among the players featured, on and off the court, are Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Robert Horry of the LA Lakers. The first episode will air at 6 PM EDT on Tuesday, April 29.

• 'Celebrity Temps' set for NBC pilot

  April 28, 2003
  NBC, the last-place network in reality programming, once again seems determined to take on a "reality TV" project with no connection to reality. According to Hollywood Reporter, NBC has greenlighted a pilot of a new "reality" show entitled Celebrity Temps, which features the contrived situation of celebrities working as temps in "ordinary" jobs that they are ill-equipped to perform.

• Former 'The Amazing Race' contestant Blake Mycoskie announces all-reality "Reality Central" televsion network

  April 28, 2003
  Have you ever wanted to watch a reality show but there hasn't been one on at that particular time? That won't be a problem once Reality Central is launched.

• Reality TV titles slump on fall television schedules

  April 25, 2003
  Looks like the reality TV boom may be reaching a crest this summer. The New York Post reports that TV network schedules for the fall will feature more scripted programming than previously anticipated, due to the difficulty of selling advertising on many reality shows.

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