Reality TV

[johnflemming]

Why are sounds played to mask 'real' sounds on reality programmes? These background recorded sounds can't be to mask hearsay or deffamation of third-parrty chacater because sometimes no one is talking!! Why the "legal requirement" for seemingly random masking of sound? I am thuinking of "I'm A Celebrity Get Me Outta Here" and "Big Brother".

[Mr Steal]

They also mask the sound when someone is singing - so they don't have to pay any copyright fees! (Although it might be heard in the subsequent highlights show, as with Sheila's version of My Way, which was masked when live). But the live feeds do seem 'fixed' so that you never get to see or hear anything remotely interesting - the producers clearly feel uncomfortable about not being able to control the whole thing (including how we perceive the participants).