Survivor Based on Race

I heard the rumors and I just did some research confirming those very rumors. The new Survivor-reality series will divide it's 4 groups by race: Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians. Producers of the show felt the urge after receiving complaints that there weren't many minorities on the show. So, responding to those complaints, more minorities will appear on the show, segregated from one another.

I personally don't like this idea. We finally have it where competitions in this country are typically very diverse. Baseball may be the most diverse of all anymore. Why in the world televise a segregated competition?

The worst part of all is it is likely to bring out the prejudices and stereotypes in some viewers. Rush Limbaugh has already done this via his radio show, claiming that Blacks couldn't swim, that Hispanics have an ability to sneak to where they shouldn't be and do jobs that others don't want to do, that the Asians are the most intelligent but lack that natural instinct, and that Whites will cheat.

I can just imagine some obsessive people yelling at their TV set, "Go Whites! Go Blacks! Go Asians! Go Hispanics!" Please, let's not regress any. I can only imagine the bets that'll be laid down on this television show. "$200 on Black" and no, he isn't playing roulette.

It's obvious to me why they're doing this, for publicity and ratings. This past Survivor was the lowest rated of its series' history, so it's obvious to me that they're attempting to do something radically (racially) different to boost their ratings.

I've read some comment that "It's mostly segregated in real life, so why does it matter that it's that way on a show? Who cares?" I know plenty of areas where there's very much a mix of ethnicities. This is especially the case in competitions (sports). It's common anymore to see a baseball team with Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians all playing on the same club. I think it's a bad idea and even though I'm not a reality television fan anyway, I definitely won't be watching this show.

I do know who/what I'm rooting for though. I'm rooting for the ratings to be poorer than they were last time. It'll be interesting to see what the public's reactions are after watching the show and on the number of viewers who do actually watch the program. Reality television? Thank God it isn't reality anymore, that's all I can say.