A brand new report from the Nine Network backs a theory many of us have harboured for a while: that the habitual watching of reality dating TV shows amounts to a certain kind of “mass therapy”.
The Love Is the (New) Battlefield report, released today at a Nine Network marketing event, collated info from 500 single Aussies who froth on shows like Married At First Sight and Love Island.
The results suggest that viewers don’t just tune in to have their brains massaged after long days of, you know, doing things. They actually sit down to take mental notes on the human condition, and to reflect those insights on their own personal lives.
Just over half of respondents stated they “learn something about relationships from reality TV and shows about love”, as opposed to dismissing the portrayed events as nothing but empty, meaningless fluff.
More like booty-camp. Right? Right guyz!? Guyz?? 🍑 #LoveIslandAU pic.twitter.com/plWxRiytCD
— Love Island Australia (@LoveIslandAU) June 27, 2018
48% also found a particular kind of solace in reality dating TV, as it reminds them that not everyone is latched into a committed, long-term relationship.
The study also drew distinctions between different subgenres in the reality dating TV, and suggested that the shows can mirror different aspects of a relationhip.
Love Island was singled out for exposing the tension of overcoming superficial quibbles in the dating scene; Channel 10‘s The Bachelor was also noted as a show representative of entering a massively competitive emotional market.
Even Married At First Sight, a show better known for on-screen blowups than for being a valid ‘social experiment’, was identified as providing insights into the struggles of maintaining a relationship.
Nine’s director of strategy Melissa Mullins said “what the study found is that reality dating shows often provide both entertainment and education, with viewers looking to see their own experiences echoed on screen.”
It’s an interesting slab of information, but we’re yet to be transported to a luxury villa with the express purpose of finding love. So.
Full disclosure: Nine has a majority stake in PEDESTRIAN.TV. That said, if you question our ability to call BS on some of the situations presented by shows like Love Island, you ought to dive into our recaps. God knows they’re a form of therapy for us.
