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>Viewfinder : ‘Text votes’ compromise talent searches > >First posted 11:42pm (Mla time) Jan 16, 2006 >By Nestor U. Torre >Inquirer > > > >Editor's Note: Published on Page A2-2 of the January >17, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer > > >WHEN talent competitions became popular on television, >the winners and losers were chosen by experts tapped >to serve as judges. So, the major problems were the >qualifications, objectivity and incorruptibility of >those jurors. > >These days, however, the judging equation has been >made more complex with the inclusion of “text votes” >from viewers. > >The “logic” of this development is quite clear: Since >talent searches are supposed to discover tomorrow’s >stars whom the public will embrace, the public should >have a hand in choosing the winners of those talent >tilts. > >Trouble is, in some instances, the text votes a >leading contestant gets don’t really reflect what the >viewing public wants! > >The reason for this is the expensive ploy of some >candidates’ relatives, friends and other backers: they >themselves pay for hundreds and even thousands of text >votes, to make sure that their bet wins. > >So, the text votes don’t necessarily denote >popularity, just the loyalty, determination and deep >pockets of some contestants’ supporters. > >Adding to the dubious nature of the text voting >component is the fact that it’s a money-earner, not >just for the phone company, but for the talent search >shows as well. > >Since more text votes generate greater income, the >shows are tempted to raise their competition and >controversy quotients, to whip up emotions to fever >pitch, and make contestants’ backers campaign and >spend more for text votes. > >This hyped-up competition subjects everybody involved >to excessive stress and pugnacity that youthful >contestants shouldn’t have to contend with. The TV >station wins, but most everyone else loses out. > >Worst of all, the text vote component, flawed as it >is, sometimes results in undeserving contestants being >hailed as winners. Isn’t this what talent searches are >not supposed to do? > >As a result of the wrong talents being chosen as >winners, some of the “victorious” young performers >don’t click that well with the audience, and lose >their luster after only a few months. So, where’s the >genuine stellar advantage here? > >To rectify this unproductive and contrary situation, >the text vote component should be rigorously >controlled. If it must be resorted to, its impact >should be limited to only 25 percent of the total >verdict, with the experts’ decision accounting for the >remaining 75 percent. > >That should inhibit the contestants’ backers from >spending so much money to tilt the voting balance in >favor of their bets. > >Of course, that doesn’t solve the problem some shows >have with their “expert” judges. That’s another area >that urgently cries out for reform. > >Talent searches’ young contestants deserve to be >judged by genuine experts who can reliably and >objectively tell which new performer is better than >the others. > >In addition, the jurors should not be tempted to come >up with pithy, colorful, “quotable” put-downs to build >up their own cachet as “bitchy” TV personalities. >Concentrate on the young contestants and forget about >yourself and your gargantuan ego, please! > >Also, don’t resort to sarcasm or personal attacks, >because they could adversely affect a newcomer’s >psychological wellbeing. Show business is not a >fraternity that young talents should have to be >“initiated” into! > >Finally, the TV talent search shows have to deal with >some people’s perception that the choice of finalists >and winners could be rigged in favor of some >well-connected bets. We hear of some judges themselves >who have grumbled about this pressure. > >So, from here on in, everything about TV talent >searches should be absolutely transparent and >above-board. If everyone involved hews strictly to >that bottom line, talent searches’ decisions will gain >the respect of the viewing public, as they must.

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