"American Idol" -- WHY??!?

[Sparkly]

First, disclaimer: I have never watched "American Idol" and have no plans to.

I hope someone can explain to me WHY cable "news" shows, even Keith, talk about this Fox teevee show SO often. Every second of airtime is so valuable (and expensive), we can all imagine how even 30 seconds here and there could be used to clear up any number of misperceptions and lies, or to update on how many were killed and injured in Iraq and how, or to explain some little factoid about how government works, or is supposed to anyway (since so many don't even know), etc. etc...

I can kind of understand the sensational coverage of local stories blown national (but now how they're selected); I can understand the celebrity fixation (but not why they're discussed so frequently on so many shows); I could understand a network trying to promote a show (but not another network's show).

So WHY is news time taken up with the incessant trivia of a teevee show?!?? Can anyone explain this to me? Am I the only one it infuriates?!?

[Marnieworld]

1. because news concerns itself with ratings and money now

And they are trying to catch the attention of the 30 million people who watch that show.

[Sparkly]

4. But aren't they hyping Fox, more than promoting their own network? nt

[babylonsister]

2. Because so many people watch it. Same thing happened with ANS

ad nauseum. If people watch, the media whores will drum it into us 24/7.

[Sparkly]

5. I don't even know what ANS is.

:shrug:

[babylonsister]

19. I was trying to avoid spelling it out, but...

Anna Nicole Smith. :hide:

[Forkboy]

3. Because the world is INSANE.

At least that's the only reason I can come up with :shrug:

[Sparkly]

11. Yeah

Sort of "Don't Worry Be Happy" gone overboard? :shrug:

[Milo_Bloom]

6. 40 Million+ viewers a week.

A story on American Idol keeps people watching the show, which is why it often appears at the end of the newscast. One hopes that some of those people, waiting only for their precious Idol minutes, actually listen to some of the rest of the show and may learn something.

Think of it like this... the show is the meat, the Idol story is the pudding...

How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?

[Sparkly]

8. People really watch news shows to wait for them to talk about a TV show?

Wouldn't they be better off just watching Fox, which probably (I don't know) hypes it even more than others?

[Milo_Bloom]

18. People watch shows because they discuss something...

That interests them.

Millions of people are interested (nay... obsessed with American Idol) and they will revenously watch anything that talks about it.

When Howard Dean was first coming up, I set my Tivo to record anything with "Howard Dean" in the description. In the beginning, it may have caught 1 thing every week or so... As Howard Dean got more and more popular, it was recording something nearly everyday, as news networks and programs were using small Dean stories to try and attract those viewers.

Same concept. People look for the Idol stories, takes on Idol, discussions about Idol, rumors about Idol. There are websites dedicated to predicting the one who is voted off (www.dialidol.com) There are websites dedicated to trying to find out the theme week after week and what songs everyone will sing. (www.televisionwithoutpity.com)

and yes, tons of programs use idol stories as bait to try and catch more viewers.

When Survivor was getting 40+ million per week, everyone had survivor stories.

Any program that discusses Heroes, pretty much gets me to watch for the Heroes story, so.. when someone loves a program.. It does work.

[Sparkly]

20. That's extremely depressing.

:(

[Milo_Bloom]

26. Why? Same as it ever was.

What has changed? The fact that you don't like the current fad is understandable, but why is it "depressing" that Television news is using the current Television fad to try and attract viewers. How is that any different than what has been going on in Television for the last 40+ years?

Seriously, when beenie babies were a fad, don't you remember tons of stories everyday on Beenie Babies? Furbies? Twin Peaks, Survivor?

There was a time when News was considered a break-even or loss and it was a trade off for the price of good information. But those days are gone and have been gone for a long long Loooooong time. (and not as many people watched it) Now, it is about ratings, viewers and advertising dollars.

If they want to use a 30 second fluff piece on American Idol to get some people to tune in, that isn't depressing... that is good strategy. Maybe one of those people tuning in for the fluff piece hears the news stories and learns something that they wouldn't have otherwise learned, but for the fluff piece.

At the end of the day, I think sacrificing 5 minutes of a news program for a fluff piece on the fad of the day, in return for the possibility that someone, who may not have otherwise tuned in, tunes in and has their opinion changed on a vital issue is worth the trade off.

What say ye?

[waiting for hope]

28. Twin Peaks....Now that

was a show. How I miss the 80's....yawn, I think I'll roll over and tune in Dancing with The Stars..:silly:

I truly believe the Survivor/Idol fame comes from people that just don't want to think for that hour that it's on. I have neighbors on both sides of us and that's the kind of programing they enjoy (Wife Swap was another) - hey, guess what? They don't vote and have have no clue what's going on politically....that explains volumes to me.

[Milo_Bloom]

36. Hey Hey Hey, I resemble That Remark

I am not a big fan of the "wife swap" stuff, but I still love Survivor and part of the reason I do is because it actually gets me thinking more than some other formula programming. I like getting into the strategy of the game, seeing where mistakes are made... also like figuring out the editing and what story the producers are trying to tell and getting beyond it.

I don't see much difference between Survivor or scripted programming, except that I can nearly predict the outcome of the scripted programming every time.

There is good in bad in all forms of programming. Some reality shows are good, some are "guilty pleasures" (cheaters for example), others are pure trash. Same with scripted shows. Same with "news" programs. Some are good, some are trash.

Painting all types of a particular programming with one brush.. shouldn't do it. Lumping in all the viewers of that type of programming with that brush... I think you see where i am going with this.

Forgive me that moment of mock outrage. I am truly not offended, b/c I understand where the thought comes from... but it programming doesn't always make the person.

[waiting for hope]

38. No, you are correct

and my apologies....I should have described my neighbors a bit more. But, after the Foleygate episode, someone in the media did make the comment that "most" Americans weren't paying attention and that they would just yawn and turned on Dancing with The Stars. That made me pissed and then it got me thinking why was that comment made - could it be true or was the intended group there the 30% percent? My neighbors are Repukes at heart...if they did vote it would be a straight red ticket with no questions asked.

[Sparkly]

29. I don't remember this much time given to those fads...

... but perhaps my memory is faulty.

It seems (and I haven't tested this) that it's mentioned at least once every half hour on MSNBC no matter what show I'm watching. There are guests having discussions about it with the hosts, as indepth as any coverage they give to Congress (or more so). I don't recall discussions of whether Zip the Cat or Flip the Cat was more popular. (But I never collected Beanie Babies either.)

Yeah, in principle, if it were a 30-second piece once an hour about SOMEthing that viewers stay tuned to hear, that makes sense. This seems simultaneously fabricated in order to hype it and hyped in order to fabricate it, and it strikes me as a colossal, media-manufactured waste of air time. (Agreed -- not a financial waste for sponsors I suppose.)

[Tarheel_Dem]

7. we'll probably both get flamed...but,

I couldn't agree more. I wish that show had been cancelled after the first season. It's a huge distraction from much weightier issues, especially the way they drag it out over THREE nights?

[Sparkly]

9. Thank you.

(You mean it isn't on every night?)

[AndyA]

10. "American Idol" is a mediocre show at best.

Paula Abdul is the only one that has really done much as a performer, anyway.

They have some talented people on from time to time, but none of them are a Laura Branigan. I get tired of the wailing after a while. There is more to singing a song than wailing all the way through it.

And I can't stand how Simon Cowell is so rude to people. He can be downright cruel at times, and I won't encourage that type of behavior by watching the show. I watched it a few times during the year that Kelly Clarkson did so well, and haven't watched it since, other than snippets on Countdown.

[Sparkly]

13. It looks insipid to me too, but

I'm trying not to criticize the people who enjoy it. I'm just sick of seeing precious cable time wasted on covering it when there's so much at stake.

[AndyA]

21. I think people are going to watch whatever is served up that's different.

And shows like American Idol are less expensive to produce than a sitcom or hour long show like Monk.

And, we can thank our corporate owned media for shoving it in our face every chance they get, Olbermann is no exception. In fact, I'd say Keith's show would probably be much better if he devoted a bit less time to the fluff news, and more time to interviews.

I enjoy the Worst Person segment, and some of the other funny news things he covers, but I could do with less Paris Hilton, American Idol, and celebrity gossip.

If people want to watch something, that's fine with me as long as they don't do it in my home. And it would be nice to be able to not have it forced on you on every news show as well. People who watch American Idol already know what happened on the show, because they saw it. It doesn't need to be covered over and over and over again.

Cowell can't even dress nicely for the show. He just throws on a T-shirt. Tacky. Low class.

[Sparkly]

23. I'm with you.

Doesn't seem Tweety covers this stuff, or does he?

I can't stand seeing Olbermann wasted on it (and I hate hate hate Michael Musto).

If it's about bucks, I wish these networks would establish their own such show, or a separate review of "pop culture," and reserve all such coverage for that ONE hour or something... Consolidate it all and leave it out of the news shows.

[AndyA]

33. I don't think Tweety covers it much. I think it depends on how big it is.

Michael Musto can be funny at times, but he can also be over the top, too. A little goes a long way.

I like most of Keith's other guest commentators, though.

[FuzzyDicePHL]

27. ROFLMQAO!!!

"Laura Branigan" HAHAHAHAHA

[AndyA]

31. Hey, I LOVE Laura Branigan, may she rest in peace.

She had a five octave range.

The late Ahmet Ertegun, head of Atlantic Records, said she was his best signing ever. And he had some good ones: Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles, just to name a few.

Plus, she was a really good person who spent a lot of time with her fans after concerts, and gave up her career to nurse her sick husband when he was stricken with cancer. She was just about ready to make a comeback when she died.

[FuzzyDicePHL]

46. Sorry, I had no idea she was dead.

Bud I did find it funny b/c she's such a random name to bring up as a comparison. When someone asks me to name The Greats in American popular music, her name never enters my mind.

[Double T]

12. Might have something to do with being interesting watching young........

unknowns competing to become the NEXT superstar singer. It is also a great diversion from ALL this political stuff; there IS more to life than POLITICS and BAD NEWS.

[Sparkly]

14. But can't people just watch the show?

Why is it discussed on other networks, during news shows?

[Double T]

22. It is the biggest show on the tube with tens of millions of viewers..........

week after week, month after month. If YOU haven't watched it, YOU shouldn't be criticizing IT. The FINAL TWELVE are the show. It is an EVENT with some really great young talent that gets better with each week. If you don't like music, then I certainly understand YOUR aversion.

[Sparkly]

25. lol

Actually, I'm a professional musician.

I am not criticizing the show (although it looks awful to me) or people who enjoy it; I'm criticizing news shows on other networks for devoting so much time to discussing it.

[Double T]

30. It is amazing that a glorified 'talent show' can produce such huge.........

interest, viewership and ratings; that in itself is BIG news. American Idol also allows the News Networks to take a pause from the death, destruction, denial, corruption, lies, hatred, murder, shootings, back stabbing and the like of EVERYDAY life and news. Since you are a musician, you might actually like it.

[DeepModem Mom]

45. If you're a musician, try watching the show next season from the beginning --

starting with the auditions. My guess is that you, being human, might get hooked. I did. And I'm (sorry) a high-IQ person who spends a lot (too much) time posting serious news articles on DU.

What's wrong with some mindless fun, even for a few minutes on a news show? (Keith Olbermann, in fact, devotes time on every show to mindless clips of weird happenings -- probably just to break up the deadly seriousness of the rest of the show.)

[southerncrone]

15. You are not alone

I share your dismay concerning this goofy show.

Have never watched it; don't intend to (even to satisfy my wonder).

Can only suspect it is the "current diversion" to avoid reporting news we need. Camouflage to intentionally use up valuable news time.

I love KO, but have always wondered why he has the segment on entertainment every nite. Levity, I guess, but our political arena supplies enough crazy stuff to amply fill that segment. :crazy:

[cyberpj]

16. Yes. Pet Peeve. Shows using time to denounce coverage are providing coverage. nt

[FormerDittoHead]

17. I agree that it's NOT the cultural phenomena it pretends to be.

I completely agree with your acceptance of entertainment news, especially when a local person is involved, or some 'event' happened (ie: a winner is picked). But as you say, the on-going parade of data is completely unwarranted and is explained only the by the fact that the producers spoon feed it to the media channels and all they have to do it pick up the feed.

[onenote]

37. actually, its probably a bigger cultural phenomenon than you realize

I don't watch it, but millions do. And millions buy the records of the winners. Even some of the non-winners have devoted followings and are successful. Not sure how you would define a "cultural phenomena" but it seems to me that it qualifies, particularly when you consider the fact that more than 50 different versions of "Idol" (which started as a British show, "Pop Idol" that was extensively covered by the British press) now are being aired in over 100 countries.

LIke I said, I don't like the show, but I'm not going to pretend it isn't something that it obviously is.

[FuzzyDicePHL]

24. Why?

I suppose other new outlets discuss it because they are aware that some people are interested in it.

Seems simple enough...

[mnhtnbb]

32. Gulp. I admit to being an AI junkie. Last year they had such a great group of talent

I actually drove 250 miles to see the top 12 on their concert tour.

And this year? They have several outstanding young women--all of whom
have been given the chance of a lifetime.

Maybe because I've worked in the entertainment business I'm attracted to the show.

Last night Diana Ross performed. What a megastar. She still has the voice.

I can only take so much negativity. AI represents a breath of hope.

OK. Flame away.

[Sparkly]

34. No flames!

I'm criticizing cable news programs that spend a lot of time discussing it.

As an "AI junkie," is it important to you to see it discussed frequently and indepth on MSNBC, for example? How much and how often?

[mnhtnbb]

41. I don't watch the cable news programs. Period. They're mostly infotainment.

[AtomicKitten]

40. no flames

We usually watch just the thinning of the freakshow herd each year and then stop. The exception was last year when Taylor Hicks was on. Along the way, Elliot Yamin was impossible ignore. What a voice! He is releasing his first album on 3/20/07.

That season was indeed the exception because we weren't sucked in this year.

[mnhtnbb]

42. Three terrific voices this year--all African-American women. Worth tuning in.

Melinda Doolittle

Lakisha Jones

Jordin Sparks

[Contrary1]

35. I give them props for getting so many viewers every week...

Maybe we should hold Presidential primaries using the same format. The
candidates wouldn't blow through so many millions, and in turn could
donate the money to a worthy cause that they support.

No other campaigning would be allowed.

Every week, we could vote out the clowns (no offense H2S) that shouldn't
be running in the first place.

Get it down to the final 3 or 4, and head to the polls.

[BluePatriot]

39. "Yea, wo unto those that worship idols, for the devil of all devils delighteth in them"

(2 Ne. 9: 37)

Hooray for convenient anti-American Idol Bible quotes! :)

[damntexdem]

43. American Idol = American Media Idle.

But you answer your own question, anyway: "Every second of airtime is so valuable (and expensive), we can all imagine how even 30 seconds here and there could be used to clear up any number of misperceptions and lies, or to update on how many were killed and injured in Iraq and how, or to explain some little factoid about how government works, or is supposed to anyway (since so many don't even know), etc. etc."

Rome had bread and circuses. The U.S. media doesn't want to give us even bread, so all we get is circuses.

[grasswire]

44. there are two facets to AI

1. A freak/gong show of sorts, where the worst wannabees are featured. Some people like this part best, because it's funny and amazing to see what lengths untalented people will go to to get some notoriety. But even the losers have a chance of getting something out of it in the manner of William Hung.

2. A singing competition and TV concert. What could be wrong with a singing competition? How is it different from a spelling bee, for example? Or Jeopardy? Those who have grown through talent and self-discipline stay in. Those who don't get dismissed.

And the concert aspect is very much like the old variety shows. Old top-hit popular musicians and singers and songwriters coach the contestants and perform, themselves.

The fuss over AI is overblown, IMO.