The complaint that could change reality TV for ever

A lawsuit filed against the producers of the US reality TV show "Love Is Blind" has "the quiet potential to disrupt and restructure an entire genre", said The New Statesman.

Several stars from the Netflix series have come forward in recent years, alleging that the producers subjected them to unfair and unsafe working conditions.

Now, the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is taking action against the show's two production companies, Delirium TV and Kinetic Content, claiming that "Love Is Blind" "violated several labour laws, including illegal confidentiality and noncompete agreements in contracts". It has also made an "unprecedented demand: that the show reclassify its stars as 'employees'".

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'Ubiquitous in this space'

Reality TV participants are "essentially the unpaid interns of the entertainment industry", said David Arditi, a sociology professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, on The Conversation. Yet it is "their stories, personalities and talent that attract and hook viewers".

The complaint by the NLRB, an independent US government agency tasked with protecting workers' rights, demands that reality stars be regarded as employees rather than freelancers or participants. This would bring them under the board's jurisdiction and give them more protections and rights, such as union representation and compensation for lost wages while on the show.

The practices identified in the complaint are "ubiquitous in this space", Bryan Freedman, a lawyer for "Love Is Blind" contestant Renee Poche, told CNN. Depending on how it proceeds, the action could "change the reality TV industry forever".

A judge will hear the complaint in April and decide if Delirium TV and Kinetic Content have broken any labour laws. Neither company have commented on the latest complaint, but have previously denied allegations made by contestants.

'Grim reality'

Several former "Love Is Blind" contestants have "publicly, sometimes anonymously to the press, and in lawsuits" described "poor treatment they faced while filming the show, including allegations that their physical safety was at risk", said NPR. The allegations are "not unique to the show". They echo similar accounts from other non-scripted cast members in "a genre reputed for its historically exploitative underbelly".

But the path to a reality TV union is "a very uphill battle", said Brian Moylan, author of "The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives". High turnover makes it difficult for cast members to band together. And what would it mean for shows like "Survivor", where deprivation of basic needs is a key element for viewers, he asked.

The "grim reality" of this sort of television is that it "thrives" on moments where its stars have been treated inhumanely, said The New Statesman. The "'best' moments usually come at the expense of at least one, if not all, of its participants". With this new complaint, "we may be about to learn whether the behind-the-scenes exploitation was always fundamental to reality TV's value – and whether, without it, people will still keep watching".