History Television formats portraying ordinary people in unscripted situations are almost as old as the television medium itself. Producer-host Allen Funt's Candid Camera, in which unsuspecting people were confronted with funny, unusual situations and filmed with hidden cameras, first aired in 1948. In the 21st century, the series is often considered a prototype of reality television programming.Clissold, B.(2004). "Candid Camera and the origins of reality TV: contextualizing a historical precedent". In Holmes, and Jermyn, D. (eds) Understanding Reality Television. London: Routledge, 33-53.McCarthy, A. (2009). "Stanley Milgram, Allen Funt and me: Postwar Social Science and the First Wave of Reality TV". In Ouellette, L., and Murray, S. (eds). Reality Television Culture. New York: NYU Press.
history television formats portraying ordinary people in unscripted situations are almost as old as the television medium itself producer-host allen funt's candid camera in which unsuspecting people were confronted with funny unusual situations and filmed with hidden cameras first aired in 1948 in the 21st century the series is often considered a prototype of reality television programmingclissold b(2004) "candid camera and the origins of reality tv contextualizing a historical precedent" in holmes and jermyn d (eds) understanding reality television london routledge 33-53mccarthy a (2009) "stanley milgram allen funt and me postwar social science and the first wave of reality tv" in ouellette l and murray s (eds) reality television culture new york nyu press