The sick (and quite lucrative) world of reality TV

Much of the attention is centered on the suicide of Russell Armstrong, whose estranged wife appears on Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." But the reality world is studded with examples of shameless exploitation - often for little pay (as low as a few hundred bucks an episode). And good luck trying to sue if there are any disputes: Participants on these shows usually sign their life away. THR magazine has an interesting piece on how rough-and-tumble the reality business can be:

The more outrageous the behavior onscreen, the more people watch. The Aug. 17 episode of MTV's Jersey Shore, which featured castmember Deena Cortese dabbling in booze-fueled lesbianism, pulled in 7.8 million viewers, powered by the youthful audience advertisers desire. Cable executives, thirsty for cheap programming, know that an entire season of an A&E hit like Hoarders can cost less than a few episodes of AMC's Mad Men and generate ratings on par with that acclaimed drama.

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While it would be simplistic to claim that Bravo or "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" producers Evolution Media were responsible for Armstrong's death, they are operating in an environment that remains unregulated and inadequately scrutinized. On many shows, for instance, participants sign "360-degree deals," notes Hayden Meyer, a partner and head of alternative TV at agency APA. That means the production company can take a percentage of any income a performer earns from books, appearances and the like. Unfettered by contracts with AFTRA, SAG and other guilds, most networks have the right to replay each episode as often as they wish or to "repackage" series to create new episodes, without paying participants extra cash. "It's a buyer's market," Meyer laments.