Chicago Swans

REALITY TELEVISION: A REALITY IN MALAYSIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY 2003 is a year where reality television (TV) becomes the ?in’ thing for Malaysian (here we refer to musical inclined reality show). Even there is never-ending brouhaha on the effect of this new ?wave’ of entertainment to the local music industry, it never put down the TV stations to come with ?another’ new reality TV programs. Now, in 2006, we have Akademi Fantasia, Mentor, Rock Unite, Blast Off, One In A Million, Rentak Juara and some others in our reality TV list. The format is simple, the winner will be voted by audiences or at least half of the marks are from voting system (via Short Message System on mobile phone). After that a recording contract is there for you. Since SMS vote used, there will be no equilibrium between talent and emotional preference. Some of the winner is voted because guitar songs of their beautiful appearance or naive ness, not the talent. But you have to bear in mind because this is reality TV looks like. Due to that many of local singers who are not born from reality TV fell uncomfortable with the imminent of “instant artist”. Putting lack-of-talent-but-only-pretty-face as the reason, many of artists said this reality TV generation will put Malaysian music industry to its way of doom. For a season of Akademi Fantasia, 12 new artists are born. Even there is a winner, but almost all of the 12 contestant will get an opportunity to do stage performance or better luck, a recording contract. Anyway, it is true that some of them goes into acting or becoming radio deejay due to good management from their respective reality TV organizer. In 3 years time frame, Akademi Fantasia alone had putted more than 30 new artists into local music scene.