Singapore Idol

I choose to highlight the Singapore Idol phenomenon as an example of globalization. The franchise is a local adaptation of American Idol, a hugely popular show in the US. Most of the key elements of the original American Idol are preserved in the local version: the audition process, the format of public voting via SMSes, elimination format of contestants, programme arrangement (weekly themes of song genres), down to the marketing strategies employed. These similarities are intended and are required as part of the licenses held by localized versions of the American Idol show, such as Singapore Idol.

More interesting is the social response towards Singapore Idol, which is comparable to that in the US towards American Idol. The viewing public in the US accepts the show as a nationwide talent search, and an opportunity to rise to fame quickly. Singaporeans picked up their cues from watching American Idol and show similar enthusiasm in participating in the show. The appearance and success of quirky characters in the auditioning process such as William Hung in American Idol has spurred many similarly "quirky" individuals to participate not only in subsequent American Idol auditions, but also in Singapore Idol, in the hopes of catching an elusive five seconds of fame. Examples of such characters in Singapore Idol include the "Careless Whisperer" and a kung-fu enthusiast from the heartlands. The audience also interacted with the show in a similar manner to US viewers, voting furiously for their favourite contestants and using banners and customized cheers to show their support in the studios.