news articles 9 march 2005

[Inside Australian Idol]

X marks the plot
March 09, 2005

CHANNEL 10 execs have resorted to a bizarre ploy to get viewers tuning into talent quest The X-Factor.

But don't try telling them their tactics are subliminal advertising, because they're not at all happy with that tag.

Apparently, screening a one-second flash of a big X across the screen during other Channel 10 programs does not constitute subliminal messaging.

The technique came to light last Thursday night when it was used during an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond.

A Ten spokeswoman told us the "promotions are clearly apparent to the viewer and occupy multiple frames. Therefore they are not subliminal."

According to the Australian Broadcasting Authority, the technique does not breach broadcasting guidelines unless it is "below or near the threshold of normal awareness".

Who knows how exactly the ABA intends to police such an airy-fairy guideline, but it seems to be mainly determined by viewer complaints.

Channel 10 was criticised last week for failing to encourage the local talent on X-Factor.

Some thought Ten's decision to screen American Idol concurrently would dilute the number of talent-search viewers between the two shows and result in lower ratings for X-Factor.


entertainment.news.com.au/story/0,10221,12490410-10229,00.html

[Inside Australian Idol]

Old 'Australian Idol' advises new 'Australian Idol'
Wednesday, March 9 2005, 12:28 GMT -- by Neil Wilkes


Original Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian has served up some words of advice for his successor.

As reported earlier this week, 17-year-old Casey Donovan is facing the axe from her record label after poor record sales.

"I think she does (have a career) if she goes away and just finds out who she is," Sebastian told the Australian AP. "She is young and she was suddenly propelled into this career and I actually really dig her second single (What's Going On?)."

He cited her debut single, 'Listen With Your Heart,' as a bad choice to kick off her career with.

"I don't know if people were voting for Casey to get Listen With Your Heart as the single. She is kind of an alternative, don't-fit-the-stereotype girl and that is what people loved about her and then she sang Listen With Your Heart. It kind of didn't fit her and I guess it wasn't the best way to present her straight out of the show."


www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds19779.html

[Inside Australian Idol]

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'Mr Music' beats the drum for his girlfriend
March 9, 2005

FOR an artist about to release her first solo single, Tamara Jaber is in an enviable position.

The former member of manufactured pop group Scandal'Us, which formed on reality TV show Popstars in 2001, is the girlfriend of 2Day FM and MTV host Kyle Sandilands.

Jaber is also the sole artist on Sandilands' record label King Kyle, which has just splurged $250,000 on a video clip for the singer's debut single Ooh Aah, which is due to hit shelves on March 28.

The song has been played on Sandilands' breakfast radio show, is the pick of the week on 2Day's Brisbane sister station B105 and was road-tested for the first time on competitor Nova 96.9 on Monday.

Nova asked listeners to SMS their opinions on the song, which drew a mixed response "which fell more towards the 'dislike' than the 'like'," a Nova spokeswoman told Confidential yesterday.

Austereo general manager Patrick Joyce told Confidential the song – based on a schoolyard rhyme, featuring the lyrics 'ooh, ahh, I lost my bra, I left it in my boyfriend's car' – is receiving "no special treatment" at the network.

King Kyle label manager Ryan Wellington told Confidential he believes Sandilands will use everything at his disposal to aid Jaber's career.

"If he can do her any favours in anything that he does, he would I suppose," he said.

"He's in a position where he's got his fingers in a lot of pies and they all sort of complement each other.

"He happens to host a radio program on 2Day, he's got a national radio program the Hot Hits, he's on MTV, he's the new Dicko on [Australian] Idol, he's Mr Music."


www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1266&storyid=2779577