REALITY TELEVISION: A REALITY IN MALAYSIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY
2003 is a year where reality television (TV) becomes the ‘in’ thing for Malaysian (here we refer to musical inclined reality show). Even there is never-ending brouhaha on the effect of this new ‘wave’ of entertainment to the local music industry, it never put down the TV stations to come with ‘another’ new reality TV programs. Now, in 2006, we have Akademi Fantasia, Mentor, Rock Unite, Blast Off, One In A Million, Rentak Juara and some others in our reality TV list.
The format is simple, the winner will be voted by audiences or at least half of the marks are from voting system (via Short Message System on mobile phone). After that a recording contract is there for you. Since SMS vote used, there will be no equilibrium between talent and emotional preference. Some of the winner is voted because of their beautiful appearance or naive ness, not the talent. But you have to bear in mind because this is reality TV looks like. Due to that many of local singers who are not born from reality TV fell uncomfortable with the imminent of “instant artist”. Putting lack-of-talent-but-only-pretty-face as the reason, many of artists said this reality TV generation will put Malaysian music industry to its way of doom.
For a season of Akademi Fantasia, 12 new artists are born. Even there is a winner, but almost all of the 12 contestant will get an opportunity to do stage performance or better luck, a recording contract. Anyway, it is true that some of them goes into acting or becoming radio deejay due to good management from their respective reality TV organizer. In 3 years time frame, Akademi Fantasia alone had putted more than 30 new artists into local music scene. Not to forget other contestants from various reality TVs that local audience has the faith in voting them.
This over loaded of ‘instant artist’ had become a threat to the non-reality TV artist. Reality TV is a product of TV station. This means that all of the contestants in reality TV show are getting lots of exposure and promotion compared to existing artist. TV station, especially the pay-to-view station are own by big media conglomerate which also own other popular media such radio station, magazine and web site. Through these entire popular medium, the process of sending information to audience are better and wide. A program called Mentor is a product of TV3 which is under the management of Media Prima in which also own NTV7, 8TV, TV9 and radio station, Hot FM. This is the reason why the popularity of reality TV contestant is bigger, bigger than the artist who already cut an album.
Media need popular ‘thing’ for their own survival. Without these popular things, the rating will not go up. This means the TV station cannot generate income in form of advertising space. Plus, reality TV also gives them lots of money through SMS vote. The SMS vote is not only benefit to the media but also the telco companies in form of phone charges. Economically speaking, reality TV actually can generate lots of money to the TV station and their sponsors. This is why TV stations are fighting to come out with brand new and refreshing reality show. Already existing reality TV programs with high reputation such Akademi Fantasia and Mentor also still keep upgrading their show for better.
For one good reason, reality TV actually enriched Malaysian music scene with new talent. It cannot be denied that some of the contestants are very good in singing. It is assumable 1/3 from the whole reality TV contestant already signed with major label here. Plus some even get an attention from international label such EMI and BMG. Akademi Fantasia is a product of ASTRO in which they have their own recording entity called Maestro Productions. Beside of releasing album, this label also manages the artist schedule and activities. Their latest product, the winner of Akademi Fantasia part 3, Mawi, had sold 60,000 copies within one month of album release. The current album sales in Malaysia are not really something that can be proud off. The platinum award had been decreased from 50,000 to 25,000 copies album sold. This due to the fact that people are no longer buys albums. The emergence of radio and TV stations that offer free music and video clip had destroyed the culture of buying music. This includes free downloading from internet and hand phones. The music industry itself had down rapidly from RM 300 million to RM 111 million (in 10 years count) of the industry value. Mawi, on the other hand had sold millions when the non-reality TV artist can’t even achieve platinum for their records sales.
Reality TV is not only a stage to compete vocal ability, but it also been branded as a new kind of entertainment. It also put a new bench mark that this is the time where the power to choose the winner is not in hand of professional panel anymore, it is in the hand of the audience. Anyway, to have balance between talent and emotional preference will give more beneficial to the local music industry in a long term basis. Many of us, the audience, are waiting for a new reality show that needs the contestant to perform their own song during selection and final stage. Of course with the help from professional, this kind of exposure will benefit to the artist. At the same time produce an artist who not only knows how to sign a recording contract but also knows how to write own number. We are looking for this kind of reality TV to be a reality.
By: AMIR HUSAIRI SHARIF
In keeping with her latest film Bride Wars, which will be out in theaters on January 9, lovely young actress Anne Hathaway shares a bit about the weddings that she has experienced thus far. It seems, despite the love troubles she had undergone in recent months, that she has nothing but fond memories of nuptials. One of her favorite memories occurred in her older brother’s nuptials to his boyfriend.
“At one point, he and his husband were standing up there, and my mom got up to sing. She was just beaming straight love into them, and everyone felt it, and it was just this really beautiful moment.”
She then goes on to say, “When Mike and Josh booked the place, it was before daylight savings time, and the sun was pretty high up in the sky. Now it was at eye level, and it was blinding! Burn-your-retina bright! [So] we sent my cousin’s boyfriend down to Canal Street [in New York City] with $250 to buy as many sunglasses as he could, and we put them on every other seat. Everybody just put on their sunglasses, and we have some great pictures of that! It’s all about crisis management, isn’t it?”
As for her own future walk down the aisle, she confesses that music will be a key factor to the whole experience, though it will not be coming any time too soon. “I haven’t thought about the food; I haven’t thought about the look; I haven’t thought about my dress. I haven’t really thought about the guy … but every once in a while, I’ll listen to a song, and I’m like, ‘I want that at my wedding!’”
Hathaway has been constantly praised as a good example of young Hollywood actresses, opting for a relatively reserved, clean-living lifestyle ever since her big break in Disney’s The Princess Diaries. Even her highly publicized split this year from Raffaello Follieri, who was arrested for wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy, just proved her knack at showing grace under fire. A marriage may not be in the works for her any time soon, but it looks like she is handling things just fine.
For more celebrity news and gossip, visit Celebrity Gossip Hollywood.
No one has the time to stand in a queue to buy tickets for any shows. Now there is a facility to buy online show tickets and also get seat preference. Numerous programs are listed online. One can get a wide selection of premium tickets. Many Las Vegas Show Tickets, Entertainment tickets, Comedy show tickets are on sale and they are delivered by the vendors. There are many companies that are not affiliated to any sponsors or advertising company but they do keep tickets to help people watch favorite weekend shows.
There was a time when booking was difficult at the box office. It was a tedious process. Not everyone got the best seats either. A weekend could also get spoilt if everyone else could see it and not you! Times have changed and online bookings have made it easier to get tickets for all types of shows. The tickets can be ordered via phone and confirmed seats can be got at a premium price. The payment is also made online via credit card. Most of the shows sell tickets online. Today a plethora of tickets of concert, theatre and sports with entire calendar are listed. The online event calendar lets one decide what entertainment is going on. Some of the most sought after show tickets are of comedy shows, Las Vegas shows like Madhouse, Celine Dion, Danny Gans and Elton John tickets. No matter how many times one sees the houseful boards a memorable weekend is a click away!
Well this an exciting time isn’t it? You have chosen your hot niche, you have done your research and you’re sure you’re onto a winner. So what’s the next step? The next step is deciding on how to promote your hot niche product to the world.
Your choice comes down to 2 highly profitable ways to market your product, Pay-Per-Click or article marketing. What’s the difference between the 2 you ask? Let me explain.
Writing articles to market your product is the easiest option to take AND it’s a lot more personal than PPC. When you write an article it’s all yours. You are now an author with a published article, and soon you will have many articles published and they’ll all be being read by people all over the world. Sounds cool hey? I love it! I was never a writer growing up and when I submitted essays they would come back with so much red pen on them you could hardly read what I had handed in.
The other very cool thing about writing articles to promote your niche is that its 100% FREE! So that means you can start a small business make money and it won’t cost you a cent! This world just doesn’t exist for many people. They just aren’t aware of online marketing, think about your parents and grandparents. In simple words you can start a business and make money without putting any cash down what so ever!!
Next. Even if you are brand new to internet marketing you would have heard of PPC or Pay-Per-Click. PPC are ads ran by Google that can be extremely profitable to a niche campaign. PPC are the ads in green font on the right hand side of Google after you have done a search. So you will have Google’s top 10 sites and on the right you will see green ads advertising something in the same market. Ok?
Now as the name says you pay for per click so every time someone clicks on your ad you pay a fee. The fee depends on your keyword and how much Google charges for you to use it. This is a great option and many people make amazing money by promoting their niche products through PPC. BUT and it’s a big one, you need to put money down first. If people click and buy your product that’s great news, but if they click and don’t buy that’s not great news.
I learnt the hard way and got burnt.
My recommendation for all people beginning their internet marketing campaign is get on to writing them articles. Use some spare time to understand PPC and when you are ready gently edge your way in and plaster up some green ads.
Income don’t mean jack when it comes to staying out of debt. Because the talent that brought celebrities wealth lies in something (e.g. acting or sports) that does not teach them anything about responsible financial planning, personal restraint and proactive credit monitoring.
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The rich and famous may sometimes have hundreds of thousands of credit card debt. These hyper visible glitterati may seem to be living ostentatiously and rolling high, but underneath, they might be just as poor as the rest of us. The trap of spiraling, unmanageable debt can also hit those with an annual income of millions. Here’s living proof:
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan’s stupendous credit card debt eclipses her declining popularity. Her movie flops reducing her income but the overspending, numerous parties and social pretentiousness continued unabated, breaking this 23-year old former starlet with about $600,000 in credit card debt.
Pamela Anderson
The once Baywatch babe with the million-dollar body now spends her time fending off umpteen creditors instead of romping on the beach. She is simply living in a trailer park while her Malibu home gets built, but the construction companies place liens against her house since she evidently owes them about $1.2 million. In addition to that, she owes a quarter of a million in back taxes.
Tori Spelling
Daughter of a billionaire and star of Beverly Hills 90210, Tori Spelling relied on her success carrying on. When she was successful, she spent every penny she could. However, when the show ended its run and Ms Spelling was left with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt that was attributed to her shopping sprees. After the hard fall, Spelling returned to work and pulled herself out of debt — an admirable recovery.
What can we learn from these stories? It’s not always just the average people that struggle financially. Sometimes fortunes are made only to be lost later, for various reasons. Whether you make $10,000 or $10 billion a year, getting an education in personal finance is absolutely essential.
In this modern world life has become hectic, monotonous, strenuous and full of tension so there is a dire need of physical and mental purgation otherwise a stage will come in a man’s life where he will burst like an over inflated balloon or the repercussion can be felt both physically and mentally. To avoid this precarious situation many Entertainment Centers have come up in various places catering to the versatile needs of the people. As these centers cater to the needs of a large group of people so they are built in such a way that they can accommodate a large crowd, obviously in such centers there is a need for furniture.
Furniture can be a product of artistic design and is considered a form of decorative art. In addition to furniture’s functional role, it can serve a symbolic or religious purpose. If we turn the pages of history we will find that the use of furniture and other accessories is not a modern concept, but has been prevalent in the ancient period as old as 8th century B.C.
The Entertainment Center has to be fitted with furniture as it is a known fact that a place that has to amuse and relax a person cannot do so in a chaotic condition where all the people are standing and pushing each other or falling on each other. The most basic furniture that is required in these kind of centers are chairs or benches, which should be placed in such a way that there is enough distance between the first and the second row and between the other rows so that a person can sit comfortably.
The chairs or the benches should be set in a step wise manner so that there is no hindrance in observing the proceedings on the stage. This does not mean that Entertainment Center consists of only theaters, am phi-theaters or stadiums. The requirement of furniture varies from one Entertainment Center to another. A water park cannot be fitted with row-wise chairs or benches, the basic furniture that is required over there is the various type of water rides or jumps with a few chairs placed under a canopy at short distances.
As the Entertainment Centers cater to versatile needs in different kind of environment, so the requirement for furniture also varies from one center to another, this is a clear indication that we cannot close ourselves in water tight compartment and stick to the theory that a strategic decision can be taken as to what kind of furniture is required by the centers. This kind of decision could have been possible a few years back when the places for entertainment was restricted but in this 21st century where the meaning of entertainment has changed in the same way the requirement for furniture has also changed. As the meaning of entertainment is vast in the same way the demand for various types of furniture will also be vast.
Switch the ipod to manual update and enable disk use: This is the first and most basic step for how to transfer music from ipod to itunes.
1. Open itunes on your old computer.2. Connect your ipod to your old computer and wait for it to appear in itunes.3. Select your ipod in the Source pane under the Devices section to display your ipod preferences in the main library window.4. Click the Summary tab in the main itunes window.5. Click the Manually manage music button. Changing from automatic updating to manual puts a check mark by Enable disk use. A message says “Disabling automatic update requires manually unmounting the ipod before each disconnect.”6. Click OK in the message window.7. Click Apply in the ipod preferences section of the itunes window.2. Is there enough room on the ipod? ipod shares its hard disk space between the songs that itunes puts on it and any files you’ve added when using its disk mode. To transfer music with your ipod, you need enough free space to hold a copy of all your music files in addition to any copies that may already have been placed by itunes (this is because non-purchased songs placed on the ipod by itunes cannot be copied off the ipod while in disk mode). To figure out how much space you have on your ipod: 1. Open itunes on your old computer.2. Click on Music in the Source pane. The size of your library appears at the bottom of the itunes window.3. Connect your ipod to your old computer and wait for it to appear in itunes.4. Click the ipod under the Devices section of the Source pane. The amount of free space on the ipod appears near the bottom of the itunes window.3. Copy itunes folder to ipod To copy all your music files (including the library file that holds all your playlists and other settings) to your ipod: 1. Quit itunes.2. Locate your ipod: ? Mac OS X: On the desktop? Windows: In My Computer3. Locate your itunes folder: ? Mac OS X: /Users/username/Music? Windows: Documents and SettingsusernameMy DocumentsMy Music4. Drag the itunes folder to the ipod. This can take a while if you have a lot of songs.5. When the copy completes open itunes.6. Click on the ipod in the Source pane7. Click the Eject button in the lower right corner of the itunes window.8. Disconnect the ipod from the computer when the “Do not disconnect” message no longer appears on the ipod screen.4. Get itunes ready on your new computer To get itunes ready to accept all your music on your new computer: 1. Download and install the latest version of itunes.2. Open itunes on your new computer. If this is your first time to open itunes on your new computer you will need to choose your options in the itunes Setup Assistant.3. Connect the ipod to your new computer.5. Copy music from ipod to new computer To copy all your music files (including the library file that holds all your playlists and other settings) to your new computer: 1. Locate your Music folder (Mac OS X) or your My Music folder (Windows) on your new computer: ? Mac OS X: /Users/username/Music? Windows: Documents and SettingsusernameMy DocumentsMy Music2. Drag the itunes folder in this location out to the desktop.3. Locate the ipod on the new computer: ? Mac OS X: On the desktop.? Windows: In My Computer.4. Double-click on the ipod to open it.5. Drag the itunes folder from the ipod to the Music folder (Mac OS X) or My Music Folder (Windows) on your new computer. This can take a while if you have a lot of songs.6. Open itunes..
During the 90s, the concept of pay per view, or paying a certain amount to watch or obtain a specific content became popular through cable television. By 2000, the pay-per-view cable and satellite industry was securing $1.5 billion per year by charging customers to view certain movies and special events. Believing the Internet would prove a lucrative sales channel for pay-per-view events and content, many firms began utilizing the World Wide Web to broadcast movies and television shows, as well as content, on a pay-per-view basis.
In the late 90s, the development of streaming media allowed radio, television and movies to be viewed and heard on the Internet. Added to this technology were faster internet connections and cable modems, which allowed web surfers to use personal computers to view what had traditionally been available only regular and cable television. Cable station Showtime Networks launched into pay-per-view on the internet in 1999. That year it launched its first event online—a boxing match between Mike Tyson and Orlin Norris.
Other examples of entertainment companies using pay-per-view include Hollywood.com and CinemaNow. They together launched a movie site in 2001, which streamed independent films and allowed Web surfers who paid $2.99 to have access to a movie for 48 hours. At the same time Intertainer.com began offering older television shows on a pay-per-view basis.
Content based websites also use pay-per-view methods. Sites like Wall Street Journal charge viewers to view portions of its online content. USA Today also charges its online readers to access its articles; a customer can view one article for $1.50, view up to ten articles a day for $4.95. Web portal Yahoo! also offers buying guides and product ratings from Consumer Reports.
When selling entertainment or information, many firms utilize this internet pay-per-view system. While few raised questions about the long term viability of selling content via the internet, others thought think the differently. They predict that the Internet will be like cable TV. The same will happen with the internet particularly when better content goes up for sale.
Simon Cowell, the notoriously sharp-tongued judge on American Idol, claims that the show’s upcoming 8th season will place the male contestants on the forefront. “The guys overall, maybe about five or six of them, were just stronger and stood out more than the girls,” Cowell divulged recently to the press. “But I’ve said this in the past and been wrong. Anything can happen.” Besides the battle of the sexes, he also feels that the new batch of aspiring singers will be a more interesting and animated bunch than the previous season’s.
“Last year, it was sort of like battle of the blondes, and they all looked the same,” Cowell said. “This year, there seems to be more personality. They’re definitely standing up for themselves more, which I like, and they’re different from people that we’ve had before.”
Cowell also feels positively about the inclusion of a fourth judge in singer-producer Kara DioGuardi, a woman has actually had professional relationships with past Idol winners such as Carrie Underwood and the latest victor, David Cook. The fact that she has done so, Cowell feels, is evidence that she has no qualms about finding bona fide talent through the reality television format. “She’s got experience,” he adds. “She’s written hit songs, she’s got an opinion – which is very, very important – and she talks a lot.”
Other factors that make Cowell excited for the upcoming season is the return of the wild card strategy, which he claims will lead to “more fun” later on in the show’s run. The fact that the “Idol Gives Back” charity drive has taken a break is also a good thing in his eyes, as it will allow viewers to concentrate on working for their own bills during the recession.
The recent suicide of past Idol contestant Paula Goodspeed, however, has seemed to taint the hype on the upcoming show a bit. Cowell described the incident as “awful.”
“My regret in all of this is we didn’t know how troubled this person was, and if I could go back in time and know what she was going through, we could have spent time trying to help her,” he admits. “But we genuinely didn’t know.”
For more celebrity news and gossip, visit Celebrity Gossip Hollywood.
Take Glee star Lea Michele, for example. She did her bit for the all-singing, all-dancing TV success story by showing up to the Glee spring premiere party in what can charitably be described as “a giant child’s painting rag”. Of course, she usually wears garish cardigans and so on, so maybe we shouldn’t be too surprised.
Also turning up the colourometer till it bled was Katie Price aka Jordan. In all fairness, it was last year that saw the “glamour” model rocking a lurid orange singlet when running the London Marathon, but her announcement that she’s not repeating the feat this year prompted all the red-tops to publish the pic again, so we’re duty-bound to point it out. Obviously.
Meanwhile in monochrome corner, who’s that? Why, if it ain’t Katy Perry, who can usually be relied upon to add a splash of colour to proceedings. Why so downbeat, Katy? Maybe she’s just relishing having a day away from fiancé Russell Brand… Anyway, also turning up dressed all in black – this time at a movie premiere – were Susan Sarandon and Al Pacino.
These guys went all-out, actually: Susan complemented her inky dress with a black sock to cover her bandaged ankle (a humanitarian injury, no less), and Al accessorised with a black-clad girlfriend, Lucia Sola. He also let the side down somewhat with a navy blue scarf – and everyone knows navy and black don’t go well together…
Regardless of what colour they where, it seems that these celebrities don’t do things by halves. Mind you, would we want them to?