Canadian Idol Snubs Saskatchewan
When executives from Regina and Saskatoon's CTV stations inevitably meet with their counterparts from across the country for corporate meetings at some point this year, one has to hope they'll ask the question... why no audition date for Canadian Idol in Saskatchewan? What were the producers thinking?
Are the producers afraid of a non-Torontonian, or worse -- a Westerner, winning Idol 08? (Idol's Executive Producer made much of the lack of Torontonians getting through the elimination rounds in a public whining-and-gnashing-of-teeth news release last June.)
Is it too expensive to book flatlanders on a flight from Saskatoon or Regina to Toronto in the event they snag a gold ticket? (Really... Westjet just sent me an e-mail for a 50% off seat sale today. I'm sure that would help defray the cost!)
Or maybe the snub is a result of our Sheri Ebert mistaking curmudgeon Jake Gold's ascot for a scarf on the red carpet at the Junos. (Ebert's quip -- which fittingly sums up the experience some had with the Idol judges-slash-celebutants... 'no, YOU'RE an ascot.')
Whatever the case, the home of Tyler Lewis, Theresa Sokyrka and Matt Rapley will be blown past by Idol judges in 2008.
Yep. It's a snub.
And while that means talented young Saskatchewanians will have to go to Calgary or Edmonton (because no one wants to go to Winnipeg) to get noticed, it might also mean potential Jaydee Bixbies of our province might think twice before plunking down a hundred bucks in gas money to get to and from an audition. (If only Bixby would have been so wise last year... not even 18 and channeling Elvis. That's just not right.)
The snub is also bad for the folks at CTV. In a province where the network had once cut its operations to the bone, CTV has been slowly rebuilding its credibility in the community as an operation that brings the big events home, and is plugged in enough to get things like Idol Auditions to swing through the province. What does the lack of Idol auditions say about the local station's ability to influence the network? Is Saskatchewan really booming, or are we just backwards hicks in the minds of those at CTV corporate?
Regardless of the snub, CTV and the Idol producers need to know this... the Idol machine is sitting on 14:59.
When the only wide-ranging commercial success related to the show comes from its season three third-place finalist (Jacob Hoggard and Hedley), given the expense and complexity required to execute the show properly, considering the below-par hosting abilities of Ben Mulroney (which have not improved after nearly a decade of working for the private broadcaster), and the general apathy from the show's recurring talents (the distinct lack of interest during drawn-out, live, 'results after the commercial break' shows from judges Zack Warner and the aforementioned ascot-adorned Gold makes me as a viewer wonder why *I* am there)... Idol needs an injection of change to keep it going.
The Idol product is a winning one for ratings and revenue. Sponsors cling to the product. Viewers faithfully text and call.
But with the flaws in the product as pointed out above, the show needs every viewer it can get. And its producers have just given one million potential sets of eyes the cold shoulder.
source: http://www.newstalk650.com/incoming/20080103/canadian-idol-snubs-saskatchewan
Are the producers afraid of a non-Torontonian, or worse -- a Westerner, winning Idol 08? (Idol's Executive Producer made much of the lack of Torontonians getting through the elimination rounds in a public whining-and-gnashing-of-teeth news release last June.)
Is it too expensive to book flatlanders on a flight from Saskatoon or Regina to Toronto in the event they snag a gold ticket? (Really... Westjet just sent me an e-mail for a 50% off seat sale today. I'm sure that would help defray the cost!)
Or maybe the snub is a result of our Sheri Ebert mistaking curmudgeon Jake Gold's ascot for a scarf on the red carpet at the Junos. (Ebert's quip -- which fittingly sums up the experience some had with the Idol judges-slash-celebutants... 'no, YOU'RE an ascot.')
Whatever the case, the home of Tyler Lewis, Theresa Sokyrka and Matt Rapley will be blown past by Idol judges in 2008.
Yep. It's a snub.
And while that means talented young Saskatchewanians will have to go to Calgary or Edmonton (because no one wants to go to Winnipeg) to get noticed, it might also mean potential Jaydee Bixbies of our province might think twice before plunking down a hundred bucks in gas money to get to and from an audition. (If only Bixby would have been so wise last year... not even 18 and channeling Elvis. That's just not right.)
The snub is also bad for the folks at CTV. In a province where the network had once cut its operations to the bone, CTV has been slowly rebuilding its credibility in the community as an operation that brings the big events home, and is plugged in enough to get things like Idol Auditions to swing through the province. What does the lack of Idol auditions say about the local station's ability to influence the network? Is Saskatchewan really booming, or are we just backwards hicks in the minds of those at CTV corporate?
Regardless of the snub, CTV and the Idol producers need to know this... the Idol machine is sitting on 14:59.
When the only wide-ranging commercial success related to the show comes from its season three third-place finalist (Jacob Hoggard and Hedley), given the expense and complexity required to execute the show properly, considering the below-par hosting abilities of Ben Mulroney (which have not improved after nearly a decade of working for the private broadcaster), and the general apathy from the show's recurring talents (the distinct lack of interest during drawn-out, live, 'results after the commercial break' shows from judges Zack Warner and the aforementioned ascot-adorned Gold makes me as a viewer wonder why *I* am there)... Idol needs an injection of change to keep it going.
The Idol product is a winning one for ratings and revenue. Sponsors cling to the product. Viewers faithfully text and call.
But with the flaws in the product as pointed out above, the show needs every viewer it can get. And its producers have just given one million potential sets of eyes the cold shoulder.
source: http://www.newstalk650.com/incoming/20080103/canadian-idol-snubs-saskatchewan
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