no more "reality"...

[Rykaird]

For some odd reason, restricting free speech is always met with cheers when we dislike or disagree with the speech in question. Since there is fairly widespread revulsion for reality tv, it is a smart political move to ban it. It accomplishes two things to do so: first, it is a popular short term political move, and second, it affirms the power of the government to make decisions about what gets shown in the media.

The problem always comes down to who decides what gets restricted. I wonder if this thread would be as positive if they were banning tv shows that show discussions of evolution, or images of naked women, or ads for alcohol? My guess is that for these kinds of speech the reaction would be more mixed.

I would recommend caution in applauding governments for exerting power over what gets shown in the media. Today, when they ban something you despise, and you agree with their exercise of that power, you are inviting them to use that power another day around something you care about.

Never give up your rights, even if it benefits you in the short term. Rights are bloody hard to reclaim once lost.

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" - Voltaire

[Hitman]

I have never seen a single reality show in my whole life , but I also don't think they should be forbidden. It's like prohibiting stupidity...it's useless. There are millions of idiots out there, and I'm nobody to tell them what is good for them or not. We have a say here in Spain that is: "Just because thousands of flies love the S**T, that doesn't mean S**T is good", in referring to the fact that majorities are not always right. But the fact is that S**T is good....for the flies

If they want it, let them have it. For those it is too late to try re-education anyway.

The only sad part of this is that they also can vote in a democracy. That's why I don't like the democracy, based in Aristotelic reasons , but sadly we have no better system (Based in Churchilian reasons)

EDIT: Forgot to add: I concur mostly to what Rykaird said before. As long as every TV has a on/off switch, your freedom is preserved. If everyone would be forced to see that rubbish (A la "Clockwork Orange") that would be a different story, though.