However, that those shows have enough of an audience to be financially viable, and that most of that audience is entitled to vote scares the beejeesis out of me....
Well it’s not like it takes much for them to be financially viable. That’s why the networks like them. No actors, few writers, fewer directors. An entire season of Survivor (one of the more expensive reality shows because of the prize money and travel) costs about as much as one episode of Friends its last few seasons. Easy to be profitable then.