MUNCIE, Ind. - Americans are ready for reality television shows on a 24-hour basis, says a Ball State University telecommunications professor.

Reality Central, a cable channel set to debut in 2004, will be a success because only a few hundred thousand people need to tune in daily to make it profitable, said Dom Caristi, a telecommunications professor.

"This is not far-fetched because we already have cable channels that are just for travel, cooking and home improvement. The genre has established itself over the last few years. It may lose some of its luster, but reality television is not going away."

Reality Central will broadcast a 24-hour mixture of repeats, imported international shows and "where are they now" style programs about former reality show contestants. "Don’t underestimate the marketability of some franchise operations like 'Survivor' to draw attention," Caristi said. "Repeats of 'The Bachelor' or 'Joe Millionaire' can all bring a few people who enjoyed the show the first time it aired or many who missed it the first time around. On cable a rerun can be successful with just one percent of the original audience."

Caristi taught media courses at several universities before coming to Ball State, including Iowa State University, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, and Missouri Southern State College. At Missouri Southern, he managed the college's low-power television station. His media career included work as a videographer, promotions director, producer and news reporter. Caristi's research interests are law and policy of electronic media. He will also direct the university's new master's program in digital storytelling.

For more information, contact Caristi at dgcaristi@bsu.edu or (765) 285-1493.