The X Factor

You're making an assumption there Gavin, just as it would be an assumption to assume those making a big deal out of it couldn't care less about the show.

My view is simply if it is standard practice across all the shows for all the acts purely for production reasons I've no problem with it. Of course if it's being used to show selected acts in a better light than they actually are in order to try and influence public perception of them it's a different story.

At the end of the day though it's a "music" format - and there is absolutely nothing pure about the commercial music industry at all.

You'd call yourself a fan of the show, wouldn't you? Phil is, Squarey is, as is sstripling. I based my comments on what I've read here over the years. If, of course, you say you're not, then I'll withdraw what I said.



How do you separate "production reasons" from "trying to influence public perception". I genuinely don't see where you think the line is.



Duh. If it were "Tonight's the Night" or a music act on any chat show then you can bet they would have autotune - but they're not soliciting money from the audience.

Personally I don't think it's a bad thing to give an audience the most polished performance - but to do it and ask for votes for "gifted singers" is fraud - plain and simple.

Yes - I'd be very keen to know how you make the distinction I mentioned above.

The X Factor Australia launched today.
http://www.youtube.com/user/thexfactoraustralia?feature=chclk

The seem to have the exact same look and feel as the UK version, so I'm guessing the American version will also follow the same.

I don't know - when does a viewer become a fan? I watch it and generally enjoy it (though not so much the audition stages) - but compared to shows I'd consider myself a "fan" of I don't think I'd put The X Factor up there. And viewers aren't all idiots - they don't need protecting from big bad ITV trying to steal their money! People watching know exactly what the show is and enjoy it for what it is.

I'm defending it more on the basis that I hate how yet again the press jump on the bandwagon of something they actually don't seem to know much about and the TV companies roll over and apologise and backtrack rather than actually defending themselves and explaining the reality of the situation.


Simple really - the former is producers applying the same procedures where it is felt it will improve the show to all performances and contestants as and when required. The latter is only giving it to individual acts who the producers want to see in the final - and there has been no suggestion that is, or ever has been, the case.

So when they autotuned Straight and left Gay's vocals au naturale where does this fit into your little boxes?

its only taken them 5 years to get second run!

Semantics. You watch the show regularly, you enjoy it - you have a vested interest, and perhaps you're more forgiving. That's all I was saying.



To that last part - bo-ll-ocks. There are protections to stop folk getting ripped off in every walk of life. And quite right too.

If 12 million watch, and only 10% are "idiots" (your phrase), and are impressed enough by a 'tweaked' vocal to vote - that's £1,200,000 in the till. Hardly inconsequential, either to those spending or the producers.

At the very least a broadcaster has to ensure that if they're representing a talent competition as a showcase for raw talent - then the punters who pay should be hearing the raw vocals.



Stop reading the bloody press then. That's your problem. I don't read the papers and I think its pretty outrageous. Are you telling me I can't come to that conclusion myself, or that because the papers might report it then its somehow invalidated? Every single time there's a scandal, you point your finger at the press.

They didn't do it Brekkie - they just reported it.

I wonder what sort of theme tune the US will have. The current version is too similar to their America's Got Talent theme and will surely have to be changed.

That was clearly wrong.

Sorry if it's been mentioned already, have the dates of the live shows been announced yet?

So, according to this article, X Factor will return in January 2012, with an extended Britains Got Talent going out in the Autumn next year.

No race for Christmas No.1 then next year

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1311001/Simon-Cowell-insists-NOT-quitting-British-X-Factor.html