REPORT: The Exploitation of Incarcerated Populations in "60 Days In" and A&E Network
Without intervention, the entrenched presence of reality shows featuring incarcerated individuals will persist. Recently, Netflix premiered "Unlocked: A Jail Experience," and A&E is poised to release a new season of "60 Days In."
The fusion of prisons and television, often referred to as the Prison-Television Complex, has been operational since 1980. Since the early 2000s, American television has embraced incarceration as a central theme in reality entertainment, often exploiting violence and further marginalizing incarcerated individuals. Before the surge of prison-themed programming, many reality shows focused on law enforcement, like "COPS," paving the way for productions depicting life behind bars.
Leading television networks such as CourtTV, TLC, ID, National Geographic, MSNBC, A&E, and Netflix significantly contribute to perpetuating mass incarceration through their incarcerated reality shows. These networks air numerous programs focused on life behind bars, with over 20 incarcerated reality shows produced, including titles like "60 Days In" and "Love After LockUp," currently airing or recently released.
General Statistics
75% of TV Programming: Over three-quarters of television networks' programming consists of reality TV shows.
Regular Viewers: 44% of television viewers watch reality TV regularly.
Viewing Frequency: Regular viewers watch an average of 3.5 reality TV shows per week.
Competition Shows: 38% of reality TV shows are competitions.
Spin-offs: Over 200 spin-offs have been produced since 2000.
Demographics
Gender: 67% of reality TV viewers are woman.
Age: 80% of reality TV consumers are between 18-49 years old.
Popular Age Group: The most popular age group is 25-35.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Compensation and Labor Protections for Incarcerated Participants:
Have you ever wondered if incarcerated individuals featured in these programs receive compensation for their participation? Do participants in reality shows set within prisons receive compensation for their screen time? Do they receive any labor protections during their involvement? In this scenario, incarcerated individuals unknowingly become part of TV shows, serving as both the setting and the actors. Their unpaid work benefits both prisons, which trade their labor for resources and donations from media companies, and the networks profiting from their presence. Their portrayal in these commercialized reality programs reinforces societal perceptions, perpetuating the norms established by the prison system. Often relegated to supporting roles, these individuals occasionally assume recurring parts in sensationalized storylines designed to captivate audiences and boost television network profits.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Broader Context of Mass Incarceration:
In the United States, there are currently 2.3 million individuals behind bars, with a predominant demographic being men of color. Another 5.7 million people are under the supervision of the criminal justice system. Notably, a staggering 70 million individuals have a criminal record, with 19 million having felony convictions. It's alarming that over 43.3% of adults released from prison end up back behind bars within three years, highlighting the persistent challenges within the system.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Impact on Reintegration and Community Efforts:
The #AIRS Campaign is acutely aware of the negative impact that reality shows featuring incarcerated individuals can have. These shows have the potential to divert attention away from the important messages championed through years of dedicated work by directly affected leaders, grassroots movements, and community organizers. Individuals who have reintegrated into society after serving time have played a crucial role in rebuilding their communities from the ground up. These leaders have invested their sweat, blood, and tears in the struggle for meaningful change within the criminal justice system.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Labor Exploitation and Lack of Protections:
When incarcerated individuals participate in reality shows, they are essentially providing labor that benefits networks and producers. However, they lack crucial federal and state employment protections. This includes not receiving minimum wage, lacking paid sick leave, being denied mandatory overtime compensation, and not having access to OSHA safeguards or the right to unionize. This exploitation of their labor further exacerbates the injustices within the system.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The #AIRS Campaign: A Call for Change:
The #AIRS (#Abolish Incarcerated Reality Shows) campaign aims to eliminate prison and jail reality TV shows that exploit the harsh realities faced by incarcerated individuals for entertainment and profit. The movement actively organizes rallies, marches, outreach programs, and speaking events aimed at challenging influential figures within the network. This campaign coalition brings together directly impacted leaders, film writers, and various organizations, all working collaboratively to end this exploitation and restore the dignity of those whose experiences have been sensationalized and commodified by reality television. This exploitation contributes to the societal stigmatization of incarcerated individuals and hinders their opportunities for reintegration into their communities.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A&E Network
Network Revenue: A+E Networks generates $2.4 million daily, approximately $74.2 million monthly and per yearly $890.40 million.
"60 Days In" Premiere: March 10, 2016
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Viewer demographics for '60 Days In' (source: Show Buzz Daily) In 2016, it was the most popular new reality series on cable for adults aged 25-54, with 1.5 million viewers.
Aged: 18-49
Persons aged 18-49 make up 15% of the viewership.
Women aged 18-49 represent 16% of the audience.
Men aged 18-49 constitute 17% of the viewership.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Aged: 18-34
Persons aged 18-34 account for 7% of the audience.
Women aged 18-34 comprise 17% of the viewers.
Men aged 18-34 make up 5% of the audience.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Aged: 24-59
Persons aged 24-54 represent 21% of the viewership.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Aged: 50+
Persons aged 50 and older constitute 26% of the audience.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
People +2 :
There are 587 persons
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Demographics of “60 Days In” Viewers
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Production Costs: According to insights from a former reality TV producer on Reddit, A&E invests approximately $375,000 per episode for producing one-hour shows such as "60 Days In."
Participant Compensation: Participants portraying detainees in the show reportedly receive approximately $3,000 per episode.
Total Revenue:These figures contribute to an estimated total revenue of approximately $42 million to date.
Additional Information: Incarcerated Population: $0
“60 Days In” Revenue Breakdown & Analysis
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Seasons 1 & 2: Clark County Jail In Jeffersonville, Indiana
Seasons 3 & 4: Fulton County Jail In Atlanta, Georgia
Season 5: Pinal County Jail In Florence, Arizona
Season 6: Etowah County Detention Center In Gadsden, Alabama
Season 7: Henry County Sheriff's Office in McDonough, Georgia
Season 8: Pitt County Detention Center in North Carolina.
Season 9: Utah County Jail in Utah.
“60 Days In” Filmed Nationwide In USA
@airscampaign Copyright America On Trial, Inc. 2024. All Rights Reserved.
