Reality Power list

September 29, 2008 With unscripted fare now dominating primetime and bringing new viewers to obscure cable networks, few are still arguing that reality TV is just a fad. Even with “American Idol’s” slight ratings slip this past season, Fox is the No. 1 network when it airs and No. 4 when it doesn’t. NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” and Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” reigned as the summer’s highest-rated series, and this month brings the return of juggernauts like ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars,” CBS’ “Survivor” and NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” — franchises that are far more reliable than almost anything in the scripted world. The Hollywood Reporter stranded its editors in a conference room on a deserted island until they came up with the first-ever list of reality TV’s 50 most powerful forces.

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