To What Extent Did The X Factor Alter The Distribution of Popular Coursework

To What Extent Did The X Factor Alter The Distribution of Popular Music - Coursework Example Over the last decade, reality shows have been the most popular programs on television. This phenomenon is not restricted to the United States or the UK, but is a universal phenomenon. There seems to be a correlation between the emergence of reality TV as a force, and the universal uptake of the internet (Butje, 2005). The X-Factor provides an interesting case study relating to the impact of reality TV on the lifestyle of people across the world. The show started in the UK and then spread to other countries. There are various franchises of the show in different countries across the world. The goal of this paper is to examine the impact of the X-Factor on the distribution of popular music. The best records relating to the show come from the UK since this is where the show has been running for the longest time. The other significant market for the show is the United States. This paper will focus on the impact of the show on distribution of music in the UK. ... In both shows, the participants undergo a series of auditions before reaching the screening stages where the finalists come up for intensive training and competition during the show. The basic idea behind the naming of the program and its whole gist is the discovery of the â€Å"X factor† that makes a musician tick. The show aims at discovering this intangible and indescribable factor in the contestants. b. Production Stages The show progresses through five stages. In the first stage, the producers carry out the primary auditions and gives contestants who will meet senior producers a â€Å"golden ticket†. The senior producers further identify contestants who proceed to the second stage. At the second stage, the judges audition the participants and classify them into three – the good ones who proceed to the next stage, the bad ones who are poor at singing, and the bizarre ones. This last category refers to those who stand out in some way that is neither good nor b ad. The successful contestants go through further processing at the â€Å"boot camp† and then at the judges houses where the judges get an opportunity to mentor them. Those who pass these two stages successfully proceed to the final stage that forms the main part of the TV show. It is at the end of this final stage that the show picks its winner. c. Key Players The most influential person in the X-Factor show is Simon Cowell. Cowell was part of the team that produced Pop Idol in America. He left the Pop Idol production team in order to start the X-Factor in the UK. Cowell is currently part of the inaugural team of judges in X-Factor USA. The other key personalities in X-Factor are the judges. Each season has a set of judges to take the show through. This makes them very influential