RT
Being on a reality TV show might seem like a glamorous and well-paid opportunity, but the truth is a little less enticing than you might think. While some people are paid large amounts of money for appearing on TV, others are given only enough money to cover the cost of their travel and lodging expenses for as long as their tenure on the show lasts. And in some cases, you could appear on a reality TV show and receive no pay for it at all.
If a person does get paid, the specific amount typically depends upon a variety of factors, including (but not limited to) how long their TV appearance is (are they there for the entire season and are they the center of attention, or are they only appearing for a few moments in a couple of episodes), how important their appearance is (are they critical to the main theme or story of the show, or are they more of a bystander), and what their overall value is in regards to television (have they made appearances on TV before or are popular among potential viewers already, or are they a non-entity with no fan following yet).
In some situations, a main character will be paid a handsome sum for their time while lesser characters receive only a daily or weekly stipend to cover basic expenses.
And to take it even further, for certain shows (such as fly-on-the-wall shows that follow people’s everyday lives) the main character of the show is paid for their time while their friends and family members receive no compensation whatsoever.
Instead, they sign a waiver acknowledging that footage of them interacting with the main character will be used on the show, with that main character being paid for it since friends and family are considered something of a “package deal” with them.
Additionally, in the case of reality shows that are competitions, often the only participants who make a significant amount of money are those who either win or come close to winning.
The reasons behind these payment standards can vary, but ultimately boil down to the simple fact that reality television shows are designed as cheap entertainment, and as such have cheaper budgets (meaning that they don’t have as much money to pay participants when compared to big budget shows that involve creative story-telling and sometimes even special effects). Ultimately, the people who profit the most from a reality television show are the managers of the show who work for the TV network.
We also feel obligated to mention the severe end of the pay spectrum. There are some reality shows that do not pay you at all for being on the show, and instead require you to pay a fee to be considered for an appearance in the first place!
And while many regular people would often leap at the chance to be on reality TV regardless of the compensation offered, there are plenty of other people (including some celebrities) who will in fact turn down reality TV opportunities because they feel that the compensation they would receive in return for their participation wouldn’t be adequate for the time and trouble expended. There are, of course, other celebrities who believe that having more television appearances is better regardless of the pay, because any exposure at all has the potential to bring in more fans and publicity.
So truthfully, whether or not you are paid well for being on a reality TV show depends a lot upon which show specifically you would be appearing on and their own individual policies for payment and reimbursement for travel expenses.
In general, however, it’s best to operate on the understanding that being on a reality TV show is not an easy ticket to fame and fortune. While it’s often fun and entertaining to be on a reality show, the pay isn’t terribly impressive (assuming you get paid at all).
