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Australians want better warnings on Relationship shows

They are great for light entertainment, but Aussies think relationship shows are steered by producers, with fame-seekers, and need better viewer warnings.

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Relationship-based programs may provide light entertainment and deliver on TV conflict, but viewers know they are highly-constructed by producers, are often full of people wanting fame or business promotion, and need better warnings for viewers.

These are amongst the findings of research by media watchdog the Australian Communications & Media Authority.

Many viewers said watching relationship shows allowed them to have a laugh or ‘zone out’ while others were drawn to the conflict. Only 19% indicated an interest in seeing true relationships forged.

The report found uncertainty around what is and isn’t real adds to the intrigue of the genre, yet viewers say they can have difficulties in discerning the difference between what is constructed and what is real.

The risk for participants is that actions and behaviours marketed as ‘real’ may be heavily edited and lacking in sufficient context, resulting in reputational damage and unwarranted criticism. The dynamics of online abuse mean that this may lead to real-world impacts for participants.

But viewers also feel that participating in a genre that is not new is a form of consent and deserves little sympathy.

They also assume that producers are providing participants with appropriate supports, mitigating any impact such as social media bullying.

Almost three-quarters of Australians express one or more concerns about social impacts, such as promoting unhealthy relationships or body image.

Whilst most viewers believe that they are not personally at risk, there are more concerns for children or people with experience of domestic and family violence. Some viewers also report experiencing personal harms, mostly to do with distress or anger over the treatment of participants, but also with respect to their own relationships.

There is a call to introduce more warnings at the start of programs and help-seeking information at the end of programs, such as 1800 Respect, Lifeline, and Beyond Blue.

Participants were shown clips excerpted from a number of programs, including My Kitchen Rules, Love Island, Big Brother and Married at First Sight between May and June 2021.

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  2. Life is known to imitate art, so it might be worthwhile to have warnings on some relationship shows that are dramatised and mixed with the reality genre. At the same time, something I learned from watching these sort of shows is the type of behaviour or relationships that I would avoid and not want in my life.

    I recall being very young, watching Jerry Springer, Ricki Lake etc. and making a promise to myself to never end up in the lying and cheating relationships or the character of peoples that would lead to those troubles when I grow up, which is a promise I’ve kept despite it not being an overly easy thing to turn down some people. There were some other shows that exposed bad relationship behaviours like Cheaters, The Maury Povich Show etc.

    Maybe the angle of the shows like MAFS etc. should be changed to exposing negative behaviours instead of glorifying them.

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