THE AMISH IN REALITY SHOW
THE AMISH IN REALITY SHOW

Author(s): Dorotea Janković
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Communication studies, Politics and religion
Published by: Институт друштвених наука
Keywords: TLC; National Geographic; Breaking Amish; Return to Amish; Out of Order
Summary/Abstract: The paper analyzes the content of the reality television series Breaking Amish and Return to Amish, broadcasted on TLC television, as well as the analysis of the documentary Out of Order, broadcasted on National Geography, all dedicated to the life of Amish, a conservative Christian group from North America. A total of 26 hours of material, broadcasted between 2012-2014, was analysed. The aim of the research is to determine the image of Amish as created in the reality and documentary programs. Content analysis was preceded by an overview of the existing knowledge about the way of life, beliefs and customs of this Protestant de- nomination on the basis of comprensive foreign literature. A separate chapter in this paper covers an exclusive interview with Christopher Petrović, the only Amish in Serbia, who currently lives in Niska Banja. A comparison of information derived from the scientific literature, television material and the answers obtained from the interview, points to a conclusion that the presentation of such programs creates a distorted image of Amish and their lives, which significantly affects their relationship with other people and religions in real life.

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