X Factor

[psquiddy]

IMHO it is a rather poor karaoke show but it gets several million viewers each week - am I missing something or is it just me?

[phreakf4]

IMHO it is a rather poor karaoke show but it gets several million viewers each week - am I missing something or is it just me?

No, it's not just you. The TV companies make much of the fact that X-Factor attracts several million viewers, but Doctor Who attracts at least as many, as does Formula One, yet they are both apparently regarded as "niche entertainment" (media speak for "the geeks will watch it but it won't get the viewer figures of Corrie etc"..)

I don't watch X-Factor unless it is on when I visit a friend, but then again I watch very little TV ( my set has not been on since last Sunday when I watched the Grand Prix for example), I have many much more interesting and challenging things to do.

From experience I know as many people who avidly watch X-Factor (and Britain's Got Talent and the dancing thingy etc.) as I do those who do not. I would imagine that the TV companies are delighted that they can transmit such shows in "peak time" since the formula is easy to produce and therefore relatively cheap since the "artists" do not have to be paid, the TV audience pays towards the cost of the show when they vote, any musicians presumably get the standard union rate and the production crew have to be paid anyway.

It must always be remembered that even a viewing figure of ten million still represents only about 15% of the overall population, so such shows are not actually watched by the majority, even though the TV companies and most of the media has the impression that "everybody" watches these shows.

[Thumper]

The X Factor does have some pretty poor acts through to the final shows but don't forget stars have been made this way in the likes of Leona Lewis, JLS and Alexandra Burke plus other "karaoke shows" like Pop Idol and Pop Stars had Will Young, Gareth Gates and Girls Aloud who had big success.

I don't know if they would have been that successful without the show or not but there are some incredibly talented people on shows like X Factor and Britain's Got Talent.

I'll continue to enjoy the shows but there's no way I would ever spend my money on voting!

[ArabJazzie]

Dont usually watch X-factor but im outnumbered in the house and take the chance to complain about the "acts".

Did anyone count how many time "The Voice" was emphasised tonight? Might just be my suspicious self but i think they are feeling the pressure already from the BBC.

And tonight was supposed to be Rock Night! Was with Tulisa about the lack of Rock then she gets her male group to sing Gnarls Barkley!!! Not the kind of Rock i listen to!!!
Arabest,
Geoff.

[Dragon Rapide]

Pure unadulterated rubbish!

[Fastwalker]

Pure unadulterated rubbish!

Totally agree, TV junk food.

[MarkL]

This thread should be deleted as troll incitement

JK JK don't ban me !!!

Mark

[stratocaster]

Pure unadulterated rubbish!

True,,,,sewerage TV!

[Dragon Rapide]

Which makes it all the more worrying that several million people watch it every week!

[Thumper]

Well that's your opinion but don't forget how "we" get labelled as dorks or nerds and need to get a life because we are "plane spotters". Each to their own isn't it. Poverty and gang crime would be better topics to post about it being "worrying"

[stratocaster]

Thankfully I've never sat and watched it,my ex fiancee used to,but I'd rather watch extreme paint drying than that tosh! Nah,give me Richard Machiowicz blowing stuff up in Future weapons anytime!

[Dragon Rapide]

Well that's your opinion but don't forget how "we" get labelled as dorks or nerds and need to get a life because we are "plane spotters". Each to their own isn't it. Poverty and gang crime would be better topics to post about it being "worrying"

Yes, of course it is. But to me the 21st century obsession with celebrity entertainment pap culture and the way so many peoples' lives revolve around it is "worrying". But others will take a contrary view, of course. Are you labelled that? I am not a spotter but at least spotters are indulging in a pastime out of which they record, analyse and increase their knowledge and awareness of aviation. Celebrity pap obsession......mmmm. Not really comparable.....

[andyxh558]

Think i would rather eat my own flesh than to watch this or strictly come prancing. The problem is that you can't get away from it!!! It is in the papers, the news, radio and even on other tv programmes. ARRGH!

[Indiaecho]

Well, I would much rather be "plane spotter" that an X factor viewer!

The programme itself doesn't bother me - if you don't want to watch it don't, and after all Saturday evening viewing is hardly renowned for intellectually challenging television (don't forget it is the home of Noel's House Party!). And talent contests are hardly new either - I remember watching New Faces and Opportunity Knocks regularly when I was growing up.

What I do find worrying though is, like AndyXH558, the saturation media coverage that these shows get. The popular newspapers seem full of stuff about X Factor, leading on it rather than having a human interest story about it on page 15. Is this the dumbing down of the media, or is it, more worryingly, an indication of the rather poor education levels that unfortunately many people now have?

I have a horrible feeling it is the latter, rather than former.

[Thumper]

Well that's your opinion but don't forget how "we" get labelled as dorks or nerds and need to get a life because we are "plane spotters". Each to their own isn't it. Poverty and gang crime would be better topics to post about it being "worrying"

Yes, of course it is. But to me the 21st century obsession with celebrity entertainment pap culture and the way so many peoples' lives revolve around it is "worrying". But others will take a contrary view, of course. Are you labelled that? I am not a spotter but at least spotters are indulging in a pastime out of which they record, analyse and increase their knowledge and awareness of aviation. Celebrity pap obsession......mmmm. Not really comparable.....

Oh I do agree with you about the obsession with celebrities but the problem is tarring with the same brush. I do watch X Factor and for the most part I enjoy it but I'm not obsessed with celebs in the slightest. It's light hearted entertainment that I enjoy whilst eating my dinner, same as Harry Hills TV Burp which I find hilarious! Believe me though if there's a decent film on offer at the same time I will be watching that instead!

I do enjoy reading "chat" or whatever magazine in the Doctors or Dentists and looking at pics of Madonna with no make-up on but I wouldn't waste a quid on buying it and "feeding" the people that sell those mags as I think they put a lot of pressure on young people to look good and spend all their money on achieving that.

It's a difficult topic to discuss that's for sure, I guess what I am trying to say is that just because I enjoy watching The X Factor and a couple of soaps (oh and Jeremy Kyle whilst I am on my sick bed) it doesn't mean I am obsessed with celebs and am lacking in vital brain cells or education as I enjoy the likes of documentaries, Panorama and Question Time as much as those shows

Oh yes, nearly forgot, I don't "spot" planes but because I photograph them and show a big interest, my uneducated friends feel the need to constantly poke fun at me needing an anorak and leather bound notebook for Xmas because I am a 'plane spotter'. It's incredibly irritating and childish and I find those remarks are the ones coming from people that only see black and white which is surely an uneducated point of view... maybe! We had a thread on here about it a few months ago, it was in Waffle and about the "abuse" we get over our hobby. Quite an insight!

[Dragon Rapide]

Well expressed. I admire your catholic taste and whilst not sharing it respect the honesty of your admission. Harry Hill - now you're talking! !!!!!

[Thumper]

Thank you! A healthy well balanced (and polite) debate is always good, oh and Harry Hill is great

[Dragon Rapide]

And it's even better when there is some common ground!!

[foxfour]

The principle behind the show is fair enough although I think if someone can sing really well and wants' to they'll make into the music business anyway. It's kind of annoying that once they've whittled them down to the finalists for the live shows they then have to then dispense with them one at a time over umpteen weeks when they could probably get rid of 4 of them every week and conclude the thing a lot sooner. If you don't like it you don't have to watch it and probably the worst aspect for me is the endless adverts.

[andyxh558]

If I don't like it I can turn off?

HOW! its every bloody where! That was the point I was making...

I am so glad i have stocked up on DVDs over the summer.

[foxfour]

If I don't like it I can turn off?

HOW! its every bloody where! That was the point I was making...

I am so glad i have stocked up on DVDs over the summer.

Oh Andy you are exaggerating. In the days of Freeview there are loads of other channels showing non dance factor / x factor stuff. Personally I thought John Sergeant was excellent with The Spitfire: Britain's Flying Past on Saturday night as I missed it first time around. QI XL after that was hilarious. If you don't like x factor tune it out of your life but don't burst a blood vessel over it, it's not worth it.

[stratocaster]

Thank you! A healthy well balanced (and polite) debate is always good, oh and Harry Hill is great

TV Burp,Call an ambulance,I'll have split my sides with laughter!!! Great show.

[nigelblake]

I'm even more convinced its fixed after this weeks dropping of the best and most original talent they've had so far, Janet Devlin!

[Abingdonman]

We only have 1 decent telly,and I'm 'forced to watch' 'Strictly come dancing',the missus owns the controller and X factor gets not a look in in this house!
now I've never been no cissy,and never really danced in my life(maybe a couple of minutes twisting!)...
but hey....on the quiet I enjoy SCD almost as much as the missus!

[Hatstand]

I saw X Factor a few times, albeit not out of choice. Occasionally it was entertaining. I've never rated the winners, inevitably they're just not my type of singers (not much chance of a reborn Ronnie James Dio showing up there. Or a Karen Carpenter. Or an Eva Cassidy. Or a Freddy Mercury. And winning...)

But the last time I saw it... Louis Walsh was slagging off Jamie Archer for being a talentless "pub-karoke singer" after giving a pretty good rendition of Christina Aguilera's "Hurt" (Aguilera's songs and vocals aint easy by anyone's standards)... and 5 minutes later Louis Walsh giving Jedward a standing ovation and telling them how talented and brilliant they were.

I was previously neutral on X-Factor, but after that I have actively avoided it. I will not watch it, as long as Louis Walsh continues to dodge his long-overdue retirement :-P

I think if someone can sing really well and wants' to they'll make into the music business anyway.

Unfortunately, I think pure luck has more to do with it - being in the right place at the right time.

When I was still at school, I played guitar in a rock/metal band. We hung out with guys in "proper" bands, went to their gigs, sucked up and borrowed their lighting rigs now and then. We personally met and befriended so many people who were amazingly talented singers (no autotune in those days!), songwriters and musicians... and while they were popular in their local areas, they never made it big, never got the big breaks, were never able to give up their day jobs. I was quite shocked by this, and it made me forget any ideas I previously had of following music as a career.