Peterson-Salahuddin: Social Media has changed reality television

Reality television once needed a network to become famous. Now, platforms like TikTok and Instagram allow creators to build audiences, tell personal stories and drive public conversation. 

For TheGrio, University of Michigan School of Information assistant professor Chelsea Peterson-Salahuddin discussed how social media has reshaped reality television. 

Peterson-Salahuddin, an expert in how marginalized communities engage with media and technology, says social media has given creators more control over their own narratives. It won’t necessarily replace reality TV, but it has become part of an entertainment ecosystem, affecting how stars build audiences. 

“I don’t think it’s replacing, I think it’s just becoming a new part of this kind of entertainment circulation and economy that’s happening,” she says. “And I think reality TV and social media go hand in hand a lot of the time.”

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Read “Did social media kill the reality TV star, or did it amplify them?” in TheGrio. 

Learn more about Chelsea Peterson-Salahuddin’s work on media by visiting her UMSI faculty profile.