The Effects of Participation in Reality Television Shows on Undergraduates’ Engagement with Formal Music Education in Sri Lanka

This study explored the impact of reality television shows on university music students’ engagement with formal learning environments. As participation in these shows increasingly spotlights musical talent, performance, and celebrity culture, they may impact young adult learners’ perceptions of success, creativity, and the value of formal education. The research investigates whether frequent consumption of such content affects students' motivation and academic priorities in formal music education, including classroom learning, music theory, and performance training. Using a qualitative research design, purposive sampling was employed to recruit participants, and in-depth interviews were conducted with 30 undergraduate music students who had participated in reality television shows to examine patterns of media consumption, perceptions of the relevance of formal instruction, and levels of classroom engagement. The study findings provide insights into how media literacy can be integrated into music education to bridge the gap between the impact of media and academic understanding.