American Idol Falls from Favorite

Reality show American Idol hasn’t been honest about its contestants. Perez Hilton’s blog reported that many of its 7th-Season contestants have had recording contracts in the past.

American Idol rules state that contestants can’t be under a current contract to compete but it says nothing about a past one. The Internet is buzzing with complaints because many people watch the show to see the journey of rags to riches.

 This is the perfect example of the need for transparency in a company (or TV show in this case).

If the show had been honest from the beginning, that not all contestants are starting on the same level, then its fans would be more understanding. Now, viewers feel like they’ve been lied to this entire time. They’re going to wonder, “what else are they lying about?”

At a time when American Idol is losing its credibility (remember Sanjaya?) for cranking out “the one American Idol” every year, it should be more careful to practice good will. If the show’s main objective is to give the undiscovered star a chance, then they have to follow through.

Viewers are putting time and effort (voting and watching) into this show and they’re not being told the truth. I don’t know if American Idol thinks now that it has the viewers in front of the TV, it can do whatever it wants with the viewers’ time. There are too many shows out there, especially now that the Writer’s Strike is over, to think that viewers have to be loyal to your show.

To make matters worse, representatives are keeping mum on the issue. In a USA Today article, producer Nigel Lythgoe said “the flap ‘is a storm in a teacup. … Let’s just let the stories unfold.’ He reiterates that show rules require only that contestants not be currently under contract. ‘We’re looking for ‘great,’ and, yes, those people in all likelihood have had dealings with the industry before.’ “

Once a company (or TV show) makes a mistake, there needs to be a sincere apology. That goes without saying but it’s obvious that a show with high ratings may not think it should apologize. That’s where their PR rep comes in. They need to be the voice of reason that tells them what they did wrong and they can’t be silent about it.

American Idol logo courtesy of www.katyjack.com

Sanjaya Malakar photo courtesy of www.msnbc.msn.com

They May be Up to Something; Using MySpace to Promote Career

What started out as a social networking site has now become a pseudo label for rising artists and bands. Who would’ve thought that hopeful musicians can bypass the major record labels and still be successful?

Blogger Noah Grieco showcased Kate Voegele in his ”Independent Artist Series” on his PR Rocks blog Voegele successfully launched her music career on MySpace and now guest stars on CW’s One Tree Hill.

An article on BusinessWeek.com reported that from the beginning, MySpace has always catered to musicians. Any entertainer can all have a specially designed MySpace page with pictures, tour dates, biographies, blogs and music. The best thing about the music feature is that visitors can listen to or download the songs, a lot of times for free, and learn the lyrics.

Big label artists such as Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani and Beyonce all have profiles.

The real appeal are those unsigned or indie-label artists who don’t have the big bucks to do the traditional PR and promotion. These pages fall into the direct feedback category that many A-list celebrities don’t have.

Fans can comment on pictures and on MySpace pages and celebrities have the opportunity to know exactly what each fan is thinking.

Comedians also use MySpace to promote their careers. Unlike artists and actors, their craft doesn’t get blasted on the mainstream media as often. They perform in comedy clubs, universities/colleges, and lower-education schools. Comedians can put clips, audio and visual, of their performances on their pages for fans who don’t have the opportunity to see them in person.

Dane Cook, while an A-list celebrity now, started his career small with the accompaniment of a MySpace page after launching a traditional Web site. Cook actually became one of the first comedians to launch his own Web site, according to his biography. One special feature about Cook’s page is how he gets his fans involved through his “Top 40 friends,” which are selected based on who has the best SUperFInger picture. What’s also smart is that he changes it periodically with a new contest, which injects more enthusiasm within his fan base.

The beauty of this new guerrilla tactic is that it levels the playing field between entertainers. New musicians who want to get a major record contract have to struggle for a long time before they can actually “make it.” Oftentimes, when entertainers actually do make it, there could be a disconnect between them and their fans because of the mainstream PR tactics they use. MySpace helps entertainers make a beeline to their fans.

Kate Voegele image courtesy of mtv.com

Dane Cook image courtesy of siriusbuzz.com

“No Comment” Doesn’t Cut it

It’s been a favorite for the squeamish to say “no comment” whenever they’re faced with an uncomfortable question. Other top methods are dodging the question or not returning calls.

One thing that the players in the entertainment game should learn is that the media always gets their story. Technology has become too advanced for anyone to think that secrets are possible.

Everything celebrities do and say is always being watched and recorded. Britney Spears has learned this lesson many times over. When she shaved her head and got two new tattoos on Feb. 16 (2007), she probably thought she could do it without being noticed (at least not right away). Low and behold, a team of banded brothers with their trusted cameras were there to shoot the whole thing and get it out on the Internet at lightning speed.

Some celebrities may not want to hear this but they need to be an open book. They can no longer see themselves as people who can keep their personal lives just that. It’s still an ongoing debate, as seen by a USA Today article, on whether or not celebrities should adhere to this obligation.

Why you ask? It’s simple really. Celebrities hold a responsibility to their fans. The people who see their movies, read their Web sites and listen to their songs make their career. Celebrities need to be respectful of the effect they have on their fans.

To make it more easy to understand, think of it like a business. A business has many publics: customers, stockholders, the media, the community and so on. They have a responsibility (many times required by law) to be completely up front and honest with their publics. Why? Because these publics have some form of an investment in that business. If they find out that the business was being deceitful, the public will counteract.

How can a celebrity be upfront:

The media are now your friends. Yes, the paparazzi that stands outside your window and the ones that follow you down Wilshire Blvd. They are the first middleman between your fans and you.

Without them (cringing to admit this), your fans will know nothing about you. No updates, no album releases, no upcoming movies. How will a fan know that you’re working on a movie this summer based on their favorite book? How will they know that you’re going on concert and a tour stop will be in their city?

Journalists are the ones who get the word out. Yes, your agent or manager is the one who technically gets that information out, but what if the journalist that they call say “so what”?

It’s a love-hate relationship between the media and celebrities much like the ones that PR professionals share with the media as well.

Simon Hattenstone, a journalist, wrote an article proving my point but from the media’s perspective.