Reality Television Generation

1984-1995: Babies
1996-2005: Tweens/Teens
2006-2015: Twenties

Historic Predecessor of Reality Television:

1940–1950:
Queen for a Day, Cash & Carry, Candid Camera, Beat the Clock, Truth of Consequences, You Asked For It
1960–1970:
Seven Up!, Up Series, The American Sportsman, Let It Be, An American Family, The Dating Game, The Newlywed Game, The Gong Show, The Big Time

1980–1990

Real People, That's Incredible, That's My Line, COPS, The Real World, The Bachelor

Cultural Traits

• Teen Mom
• Teletubbies
• LGBT & Transgender
• Anti-vaccination Movement
• Mass School Shooting
• Victims of Helicopter Parenting
• YOLO: You Only Leave Once
• Hashtags: # symbol to help search and make "viral"

Examples:

Megan Bradley was born in 1986; her tween & teen years were 1996-2004. The Bachelor started in 2002, when she was sixteen. This now makes perfect sense why she thought it was perfectly normal to be living in Matt Maas' house, have a one-night stand at Chase Main's Ugly Sweater Party, then move forward to Aaron Donald (shortly after Matt kicks her out). She was just playing the role of The Bachelorette (which debuted in 2003, the year after when she was seventeen). That is what GenZ does.