When reality TV bites - PATRICIA MUKHIM

Northeast Echoes
PATRICIA MUKHIM

John Abraham with Prashant and Amit during the Indian Idol final. A file picture

When reality TV bites

Reality television shows make instant celebrities out of ordinary human beings. No one knows this better than the latest Indian Idol winner, Prashant Tamang and runner-up Amit Paul. While the celebrities are thousands of miles away from their hearths and homes and both have displayed incredible maturity and magnanimity, one in winning the title, the other in losing it, their fans are not quite so forgiving. Reacting to what some impudent radio jockey had to say about Tamang, his fans erupted violently. Tamang himself is on a tour of Nepal. The last sound bites from him came from Kathmandu where he appealed to his fans to maintain calm.


Idol hysteria

A week before the Indian Idol grand finale, the hysteria in Darjeeling and Shillong had reached blistering heights. So sure were people of their idol's win that fans in Shillong and Darjeeling were just counting the hours to celebrate. It's a different story that Shillong descended into a pall of gloom once John Abraham announced the winner. People were not so much affected by the loss as they were by Sony Television's apparent lack of transparency in the manner in which they conducted the voting. A voting essentially means that both winner and loser know how much they polled. This is in the fitness of things. It would have satisfied the supporters. In the case of the runner-up, his fans would know where they went wrong and what they could have done better. Sony's announcement that a total of seven crore votes were polled sounds too glib. No one believes that the process was completely above board. In a voting process that is transparent, both participants must have their agents who will officiate as independent observers. Otherwise how do people get to know the truth behind the voting?

Complete Article Here: http://www.amitpaul.org/articles_news_on_amit_paul_indian_id ol.htm

grt article...
shes raised sum gud valid questions.... 👏 👏
hope they will b ans....

hmm interesting article. a lot is true.

but I dont think Parleen was a better singer then Prashant, they stood on same grounds. he is not that as they are making him seem.

Voting pattern should change for sure!!!!

thanks for sharing😊

So, true. I agree with Patricia regarding lack of transparency by the producers and Channel. When they can gloat on the massive total Votes, they publish a rounded and approx figure of 7crs, why not the breakdowns and per region and also online Internet Votes?.

We as a consumer who had taken great trouble to VOTE, do need to know where our Votes have gone. We have spent our hardearned money on our favorite contestant (many poor people too have Voted for their idols from far-flung regions), we have a right to information(RTI).

It is not a question of who, anyone can win, but a question of transparency, How True!

Consumer Rights is sadly too neglected in our country.

Sony should comeout with voting details and it is necessary as they are earning huge money.

Also We must celebrate the words of the judges of Indian Idol, who had, directly or indirectly, always made it evident that Amit is the better singer and is poised to make a name for himself in the Indian music industry. let's wish him all the luck for a bright future.

yaa right sony should comeout with voting details