Post-truth of Female Empowerment in the Fake News of Peruvian Reality Shows

Abstract

This study investigates the fake news generated from the content of the reality television format in Peru. This format, by mixing informational or reality elements with fictional elements, contributes to misinformation from the inexhaustible generation of news that, despite being real, falls into the category of fake news. They are considered fake news, not because of their content, but because of the unusual informative relevance assigned on digital social networks. In this way, the reality TV narrative becomes part of the Peruvian imaginary and contributes to misinformation from a news proposal that appeals to post-feminism to actually justify a macho and misogynistic gaze through news that permanently devalues the value of women. Therefore, a qualitative methodology was applied that includes a content analysis of the news related to characters from the reality show Esto es Guerra (Peru), who are considered media figures of mainstream culture, and which have been published in the official Facebook page of the TV program and then in the news portal America Noticias. The composition and visual meanings of the message have been analyzed from a gender perspective. This study opens new lines of research on the study of fake news in the entertainment genre and promotes media literacy in the mass public that consumes the products of this genre.