Why are talent shows so popular now?
Talent shows first became popular after Star Search was on during the 80’s and early 90’s. After that the flame died a bit but was relighted when in 2001 Pop Idol premiered on ITV in Great Britain. It was a huge success and after two seasons of Pop Idol, Simon Cowell decided to launch his own series called The X Factor. Currently The X Factor is one of the most popular TV shows in the UK and is how Leona Lewis was discovered (she won season 3 of the competition). Meanwhile, FOX got the American rights to Pop Idol and showed the first season of American Idol in the summer of 2002 as a midsummer replacement show. Surprisingly, FOX and the other three major U.S. TV networks initially rejected the show thinking it was going to be a flop and will not do well with the American public. But against all odds, American Idol proved to be a hit and winner Kelly Clarkson rose to superstardom once the show ended. Because of its success, FOX moved the show to January, the period where most TV network
