No news is good news.

My research on a headline will form the basis for the rest of this project so the more information I collected, the better. As a starting point I chose a headline I was interested in. I think this is the perfect headline to get a good amount of research because people have so many different opinions on this show. 

SAVE MY KIDS FROM THE X FACTOR! 

Phil Hilton worries that 'twisted' TV talent shows teach children to expect easy success, to cry at setbacks and to judge other people harshly. Is he right? 

The x factor is a british singing competition broadcast on the ITV network. Contestants audition in front of judges to go to whats know as 'boot camp' where each judge will mentor a certain category in order to help them win. Each act then preforms live in front of a studio audience and the public vote for their favourite. 

This show is both loved and hated for so many different reasons, for example last year the x factor winner was knocked off the christmas number one spot by a facebook campaign that meant rage against the machine took the top spot because that many people dislike the talent the x factor produces. 

There has also been criticism that when trying to vote for their favourite act the phone lines have been conveniently 'broken'. This is as well as complaints that the x factor has been tampering with peoples voices whilst singing using autotune to improve contestants singing voices. 

The x factor seemed to have a bad influence recently when 'Jedward' became famous after doing well on the show. One critic said they were 'cocky, cheeky, or simply the most irritating people on tv'. In my opinion they were just fame hungry and it got the better of them. 

I'd describe the x factor as; humorous, fake, talentless, comical, fun, embarrassing, negative, unhappy, false, fixed, popular, enticing, nerve racking, entertaining, competitive, critical, damaging, unfair, manipulating and 'feel good'. 

The x factor has become so popular it now also has its very own magazine. 

Opinions:

Joe Warburton - I wouldn't necessarily call it 'twisted'. However, although it is a platform which singers could take advantage of, I do agree that reality tv outweighs natural talent. I heard that Elton John recently said similar comments about the X factor yet he went on to state that if the program was around during his teenage years, he would definitely apply which I thought was interesting.

Sophie Wilson - I have really mixed views about the x factor, i'm afraid, largely negative.

although i can certainly see that it has produced some real talent (despite not really being my "cup of tea") such as leona lewis, alexandra burke, and even JLS have the ability to get my feet-a-tapping. But despite these undoubted sucesses- comparitive to the amount of people that enter these shows, really, is that it? 

Morally, I think that shows like the X Factor aren't right for either contestant or viewer- I think they fundamentally promote the idea that "anyone" can make it, despite any real talent or individuality. I can't help but cringe when I watch it- everyone looks so manufactured to an ideal- manipulated and crafted into someone very different to their actual selves.

In conclusion, I think that the X Factor, whilst being light entertainment, is really a bad "role model" show for young, influentual children in particular- 99 times out of 100, this will never happen to them. It's not pessimism, it's reality.

Sam Delaney (Heat magazine) - The x factor is amazing, its the only thing bigger than premiership football. 

Kimberly Alderson - I don't like x factor because I believe most contestants are just fame hungry and a lot of them do not have natural talent.

Paul McGee - Most of them are talentless stuck up people who believe they’re the best thing in the world and can get popular and rich by going on a talent show.

Miranda Rawson - Yeah he is right - the x factor is a really bad way of embarrassing people in front of billions of people - whether they are any good or not. What the judges think isn't everything people.

Emily Burns - I find it very loosely based on actual 'reality', rather just a show in which anything can happen (that Simon Cowell wants). I wouldn't choose to watch it, but I do because it's quite entertaining with a group of friends.

Jamie Avis - Children aren't directly influenced by a Tv show they watch for an hour and a half every week, but it could certainly contribute to an ideal. It depends on the age of the child, as younger children are more susceptible and suggestible than a child above the age of 8 or 9 years. Watching a program such as the x factor is unlikely to have a profound effect on a child's outlook, but could distort for many the idea of celebrity, and the confusion between talent and mass recognition.

Lauren Bush - I hate it! it basically sends the message that as long as you look good you don't need a talent, being attractive means more. 

also why have Cheryl Cole who is worse than most of the contestants as a judge? it makes no sense.

Baljeet Samra - I think the x factor is all about simon cowell making money, so many people get to the live shows but once they get kicked off they'll have to go back to their 9-5 job working in Tesco.. it sucks to have a glimpse of all this fame and then too loose it over night. Also the person who wins is never that great anyway 8-) its good entertainment though!

Emily Ward - It makes younger people think it's easy to be a singer and just want to grow up and be famous, and they aspire to be people who don't write their own songs, or dance routines, get told what to wear and half the time mime songs. I don't like it :)

Beth Yates - X factor has become so boring, you used to think people would actually get somewhere by being on it but no-one even remembers the names of most of the old winners. 

I hate how they purposely pick the really weird auditions to show and you never get to see any of the good ones, they're just mocking people for entertainment. not a great message to be sending to kids, 'its ok to laugh at this person (who obviously has some mental issues) because they're on the tv" whats to stop them doing this in real life.

Sally Robinson - I think theres way too much sob stories and such to it. Also I think its bad how they give the people make overs as then its not the people being themselves as much.

Matthew Sanderson - I agree with Phil Hilton. This lures people into a false sense of security; it convinces them that anything is possible with their natural talent (which they may or may not have). Marxists would argue it perpetuates capitalism, encourages people to follow there dreams - when in fact its convincing them to accept there position in society as being below these people.

Also it promotes negative ideas about personalities and behavior; promoting over sexualization and a 'Disneyfied' way of looking at things, rags to riches etc. When in reality the real world might not be like that.

It's extremely manufactured. Every step, every incident is controlled and arranged for the purposes of making money - not making dreams come true, promoting the arts etc - money.

It also promotes the same drab culture that is taking over society. Plain, bland, and un-original, not too mention untalented and manufactured for this purpose - a crude (yet worryingly effective) way of social cohesion - in order too - guess what....neh neh nehhhh - make money. And the more people like the same stuff, the more they act the same, the easier they are to control.

Amy-Jayne Oatway - I dislike it with a passion; the favoritism, the over glamorization of fame whores. the people with genuine talent tend to not win, and those that do win tend to fall into the bin aka performing at not so amazing places. joe mcellderry, alexandra burke + leona lewis are the only memorable names, and even the latter two have taken to the states to launch a career... that they barely had here. it's a pooey show, like emily says, it's based on what simon wants. i can't imagine anyone who applies has a trace of individuality or class about them.  




Even the stars themselves have their opinions against the x factor...

Elton John criticises 'X Factor' again

Sir Elton John has criticised The X Factor for a second time.

The 'Candle in the Wind' star told Chris Evans that he fears it will be difficult for certain contestants to deal with fading into obscurity after tasting instant fame.

According to the Sunday Mirror, he said: "You're putting the cart before the horse and it's awful to be famous and then not famous. My fears are for the artists.

"It's just hard for those acts being used to TV. And to come off and go out on tour, sometimes they don't have the experience to back that up."

How does television effect children?

How much impact TV has on children depends on many factors: how much they watch, their age and personality, whether they watch alone or with adults, and whether their parents talk with them about what they see on TV.
I don't think that every child is necessarily effected by what they see on television because in the article I have chosen the father asks his daughter if she ever wants to be famous and she says "no, people take your picture all the time, and it would be really irritating", so maybe it depends on what your parents teach you about life in general. 

Statistics: 

- The current series is pulling in almost 14 million viewers. Half the total tv audience.
- 66% of children (10-16) say their peers are influenced by tv shows.
- In most schools (primary and secondary), well over 50% of students have a TV in their bedroom.


Facts:

- As of september 2010 a total of 16 number one singles have been released by artists who have appeared on the show. 
- On the 18th October 2010, ITV announced that Simon Cowell had signed a 3 year contract renewing the x factor until 2013. 
- The X Factor winner receives a recording contract with Simon Cowell’s record label Syco worth £1,000,000.
- Over the past four years over 375,000 people have applied for The X Factor - which is enough to fill Wembley stadium over a staggering four times. 
- The X Factor has a glittering 10 awards to its name including two BAFTAs, three NTAs and a British Comedy Award.


PHIL HILTON HAS HIS SAY; 
"I worry that we are creating a generation who expect to earn a living singing Bon Jovi songs and who will sob uncontrollably every time their cappuccino foam deflates"
"There are signs that we are creating a generation of children who are unable to stomach set-backs, who break down in the face of a challenge and who crave extravagant celebrity lives"

Generally my personal opinion is that by a certain age you decide you want to become a teacher maybe (12 years old), I went through this stage at one point and this is because you haven't been introduced to the other career prospects as your too young to understand. I do believe that the x factor may cause some children to think that fame and fortune comes easy but as they grow up and learn this is not the case, and therefor the x factor 'fame and fortune' prospect will be forgotten about.