I guess it all started with last year's Singapore Idol. Just like all the other Pop Idol shows around the world, it caught the attention of the whole nation and became the most talked-about media buzz for months. Even though the show was a hit, the market for local English singers was comparatively smaller than their Chinese counterparts. So naturally the next target would be the Chinese songs market.
A few months ago, they came up was a Chinese version of spin-off show called Project Superstar (绝对 Superstar, or "Jue Dui Superstar"), a Chinese singing contest on Channel U that was so successful that it was franchised to Malaysia and possibly other countries too. The show format was similar to Singapore Idol, with difference in the elimination process whereby the results were consist of not only the viewers' votes but also marks given by the five (yes, not THREE but FIVE!) judges on the show.
Project Superstar created such a hype that even after the show had ended, the contestants are still given a lot of media exposure. You read about them in the newspaper and magazines; you hear their songs on the radio; you see them on the TV, commercials and promotional events; you even get SMS on your mobile phone about them (and their blog?!). Basically, everywhere you turn, they are there.
The SMS i received about the Project Superstar blog, accessible at a price of course
Then, there's this StarIdol (明星偶像, or "Ming Xing Ou Xiang") on Channel 8 that always turns my stomach after watching the amateurish flamboyant acting of the contestants:
... Star Idol is a talent competition unlike its predecessors; it is the first acting talent quest where you "grow" with the contestants, witnessing their transformation from rookies to idols with adoring fans!
Power is in your hands as you vote to determine who leaves and who stays in the competition. You can even decide the direction of a drama by virtue of the contestants you choose to vote in!...
Extracted from Show Info
I don't know about others but when i read this, all i saw was "give us your $$ by voting".
For people who sucked terribly at singing or acting, they could try out the SuperHost (超级主持人, or "Chao Ji Zhu Chi Ren") on Channel U:
The search is on for the most intelligent and wittiest host in the country!
Premiering on Tuesday November 22, 8pm , Channel U's new talent search will see 16 glib-tongued candidates battle their wits out for the coveted grand title every week...
... Viewers will not only be able to see firsthand which candidates make the cut, they will also get to decide who goes home a winner! Phone lines will be open during the show for the public to vote and callers also get a chance to win attractive prizes!...
Extracted from About the Show
For this, i saw a bit extra: "give us your $$ by voting and you may probably win something similar to striking a lottery".
Wanna be a star but fail the age limit? No problem. There'll be this Campus Superstar (校园 Superstar, or "Xiao Yuan Superstar") coming our way on Channel U next year. It's something like the Project Superstar but only open for students. C'mon, teenagers are probably the ones who make the most voting calls and thus contribute the most money. How can they possibly be excluded from taking part in this big funfair?!
And all these are amidst the anticipation for the return of Singapore Idol, which was stopped for this year and is coming back next February.
I have a little theory about this whole thing. I think MeidaCorp is very smart. You see, all the Chinese version of the shows were supposed to replace the bi-annual Star Search competition (才华横溢出新秀, or "Cai Hua Heng Yi Chu Xin Xiu") that had produced household names such as Zoe Tay, Chou Chu Ming, and Christopher Lee. The contestants of Star Search would have to sing, dance, host and act, and the champion was decided purely by a panel of professional judges. For some unknown reasons, the winners of Star Search for recent years had not been performing too well and not many could become as famous as the earlier batches.
Changes were needed. Changes that could bring in money would be even better. So the good people at MediaCorp, after reaping a great harvest from Singapore Idol, got a great idea: hey, why not split the Star Search into many different little shows and have the viewers to choose the winners? After all, being a star isn't really about the talent anymore; it's a popularity game based on the X-factor exuded by the person who can capture the hearts of the public. Of course, the main thing is still about having more shows to earn more $$ through commercials and calls for voting.
As a result, what we have now are these shows concentrating on different talents, i.e. singing, acting, and hosting. On the surface, these shows are to search for the people with the specific talents; yet, they will still be assigned to do other stuffs after the shows have ended, just like the contestants of Project Superstar who are now hosting the variety show Superfunkies, where they provide updates on the most popular and fashionable stuffs for the youngsters. I really wonder what kind of show would need ten hosts whose talents were supposed to be singing and not hosting? They just stood there most of the time doing nothing much except reciting a sentence or two when it was their turn to speak. I heard that some of them may be cast in some drama series too. Huh? Why do we need the StarIdol competition then? It's so obvious that MediaCorp is just cashing in on their fame now, while it still lasts!
Frankly, these money-making schemes hidden behind the veil of these so-called "talents quest extravaganza" just make me sick sick sick. I know the whole media industry is about profiteering. I know as long as there are people who dream of gaining fame and wealth by being a celebrity, shows like these will always be successful. I know that as long as we have those
No wonder these shows are classified as reality TV. Whether or not the talents are found in the end isn't an issue at all; how long their popularity will last isn't the real concern at all. The important thing is that the sponsors, media and telecommunications companies can all benefit along the way with our money.
And that, is the reality.
Update (12-December-2005): Adding to the list was another competition SuperBand that would be aired on Channel U next year. I wonder what's next after this...
