Abolishing Incarcerated Reality TV - Incite at Columbia University

Reality shows like 60 Days In and Love After Lockup have commodified and sensationalized the lives of incarcerated individuals for the consumption of the public.

In response, Vidal Guzman, abolitionist and founder of America On Trial, Inc., launched the #AIRS (#Abolish Incarcerated Reality Shows) Campaign which aims to end the exploitation of incarcerated individuals through prison and jail reality TV shows. #AIRS’s goal is to combat this exploitation, restore dignity to those sensationalized by reality TV, and challenge the harmful stigmas that hinder their reintegration into society after release.

With funding from the Left Field Fund, the #AIRS Campaign aims to expose the exploitation in incarcerated reality shows, challenge harmful stereotypes, and raise awareness about their impact on mass incarceration. To accomplish these goals, the campaign will advocate for policy reforms to address ethical issues, push for the abolition of these shows, and promote responsible media portrayals. Its aims are as follows:

1. Ending exploitative media practices by advocating for the removal of television programs that profit from the commodification of incarcerated lives.

2. Calling for the use of people-first language, eliminating dehumanizing terms like “inmate” and “ex-inmate” in favor of respectful alternatives such as “incarcerated individual” or “formerly incarcerated individual.”

3. Striving to shift public narratives around incarceration, fostering a more humane and nuanced understanding of those who have been incarcerated.

4. Committing to building public accountability by educating and mobilizing communities to hold media networks to ethical storytelling and production standards.

5. Pledging to support families and individuals impacted by the carceral system by amplifying and platforming their voices, ensuring their experiences and perspectives are heard and centered.

The #AIRS Campaign’s vision is to dismantle the prison-television complex and foster a fairer media landscape. By highlighting the lack of compensation and labor protections for participants, this campaign seek to ensure fair treatment and drive meaningful societal change.