Why is political reality TV popular?

Political reality TV combines the elements of politics and entertainment, which appeals to viewers through dramatic storylines, conflict, and the personal side of political figures. Tim Urban explains that media has shifted from traditional news coverage to a format resembling "trashy reality shows" because this approach is more profitable and engages viewers more effectively. Political reality TV presents politics through edited narratives filled with continuous conflict and drama, which keeps audiences hooked 1 2 .

Urban further elaborates that audiences are not truly interested in the substance of politics—such as legislative processes or local representatives—because these aspects are inherently boring. Instead, they consume political content like they would a reality TV show, focusing on the sensationalized and dramatized aspects rather than the actual political issues at hand 1 2 .