Fourth International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

Audience democracy and participation in voting for talents on reality TV has been investigated to determine the factors promoting voting and understanding of talents. The audience of the X Factor, a UK reality TV show, were interviewed through an online-based questionnaire survey. Results indicate that the audience of reality TV talent search understand that high competencies and excellent performances are the main determining factors for identifying talent on reality TV talent search. The research also found out that other factors such as fun, age, physical attraction, and location make some contestants popular but the audience do not consider them to be a determinant factor for democratic voting. The research also shows that the talents identified do not democratically represent the audiences but the audience becomes fans of the contestants/talents due to their outstanding abilities. They therefore define talent as natural abilities. The research therefore recommend that, TV talent search shows should not project fun, age, physical attraction and location more but rather project high competencies and excellent performances.