Bayou State booming with reality TV

Cruise through the channels on any given night and you’re probably going to run into alligator hunters, raccoon wranglers and crawfish catchers as Louisiana’s critter-filled swamps and bayous become increasingly common on television. Since the introduction of the History channel’s wildly popular Swamp People in 2010, roughly a dozen other Louisiana-based reality shows have made their television debuts, among them the Travel Channel’s Girls, Guns and Gators, CMT’s Crawfish Cowboys and the Discovery Channel’s Ragin’ Cajuns. The reason for the recent boom in Louisiana-based reality TV is twofold, says Louisiana Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne. Not only do reality shows filmed in Louisiana take advantage of the state’s TV and film tax credit program, but also the state has a rich culture that simply makes for great entertainment, he says. And while some of the shows are far-fetched or have little to do with Louisiana, some are actually good for the state’s image, Dardenne maintains. “It captures this interesting, fascinating, very unique aspect of Louisiana life with its beautiful landscape and a strong streak of adventure,” Dardenne says. “It’s not something you’re going to find anywhere else. It’s indigenous to Louisiana.” Read the full story from The Associated Press here. For a recent Business Report cover story on reality TV in Louisiana, click here.