The Family as a TV Show: “The Meat Grinder of Cultural Discourse”

Abstract

The problem of this article is related to the issue of threshold values for screen realism. The object of study is talk shows and reality shows that rely on documentary (“authenticity of reality”). A quantitative and qualitative study was conducted on documentaries on Russian television dedicated to the topic of family. A stable representation of negative information on the topic was found. A deep conflict was identified between the facts from the lives of marginal characters brought into the public space and the values that define the high cultural significance of family in society. Shock content about the family, which serves as a high-rating show, is classified by the authors as a form of media violence. This concept reveals the mechanism of the “meat grinder of cultural discourse”. Demonstrating the “bottom” does not and cannot have an educational effect on the public. Rather, it is a way to attract a specific group of viewers and ensure the necessary profitability for the media business.