The origins of reality television are commony associated with Reagan-era deregulation (Murdoch's acquisition of independent tv stations with which to launch his Fox network, and his subsequent need to produce cheap programs to offset debt). However, I have a dim memory of having read something that linked the emergence of reality programs to the writer's strike. Can anybody direct me to an article that discusses this? I can't remember when exactly the writer's strike occurred, but am thinking maybe shows like The People's Court are more directly linked to the strike than shows like Cops and America's Most Wanted. Bethany Ogdon [log in to unmask] ---- To sign off SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]