Two high profile examples (neither of which I worked on, to be clear, but I know people who have).

The X-Factor. Here's how that programme works: They take the genuinely talented and the genuinely dreadful for auditions, because people laugh at the latter. In some cases these people are delusional but in some cases, they are mentally ill. And look at the way these people's "journeys" are then packaged, with all the nauseating, tearful close-ups, milked for maximum drama. It is put together with example the same manipulative aplomb as Christof in that scene discussed in the article.

The Apprentice. The candidates for Alan Sugar aren't selected for ability, but are carefully psychologically profiled to cause maximum drama and disruption with one another. Again, in some cases these people are merely deluded narcissists entirely lacking self-awareness, but in other cases they are mentally ill. It is genuinely disturbing to me the depths to which these programme makers will sink to get an audience.

Needless to say, I've renounced reality television in all of it's ghastly manifestations. I've never seen an episode of Big Brother, Love Island, The Kardashians, or any of the other big ones and I never will. I have seen snippets of The X-Factor and I followed one series of The Apprentice for a while, before it made my stomach turn so much I couldn't bear it any longer.

Finally, here's something I have worked on once upon a time: Christian televangelism. It is a horror show the likes of which you wouldn't believe, in terms of how audiences are manipulated. I have no issue with straightforward fundraising for the straightforward preaching of the gospel, but the rubbish some of these American preachers come up with to solicit donations that fund lavish celebrity lifestyles and have nothing to do with the message of Jesus would freeze your blood.

My experience informed this short story, if you're interested. :)

https://medium.com/illumination/call-the-number-on-your-screen-5a7c4ada67b8