Sri Lankan TV fans are engaged in passionate voting over the 'Super Star' talent competition organized by a private channel.
The programme, similar to 'American Idol’ or the Indian imitation of it, is a big hit in Sri Lanka now. Three youths have been selected for the final round that will be held soon. One of them entered the final round although he did not participate to the competition, as he was recovering from an accident. Some 48 singers were selected initially by a panel of judges through a prolonged first round. Second round selections were done through viewers' SMS voting.
The show became a political issue as a local weekend newspaper backed by the Marxist People’s Liberation Front (JVP) ran a series of articles against the TV station and a selected 'star' named Shihan Mihiranga. The newspaper alleged that the TV channel was going to make him the 'Super Star'. As a result, the youth obtained less SMS voting and was sidelined from the final round. But still his photographs are the most demanded among the photos that are sold on the pavements of the cities and towns for Rs. 50 (half a dollar).
"'Super Star' has become a mania among the youth as well as some adults. Strange thing is that these singers have already become stars of so-called popular culture in Sri Lanka. Then what will happen to our ‘real stars’ or the old stars?" asks Neville Weerasinghe of the November Movement of artists. “Now it is very clear that media machines are able to manufacture as well as destruct what they need. They can make stars and smash them as well,” he said.
CP - lankaeverything
The programme, similar to 'American Idol’ or the Indian imitation of it, is a big hit in Sri Lanka now. Three youths have been selected for the final round that will be held soon. One of them entered the final round although he did not participate to the competition, as he was recovering from an accident. Some 48 singers were selected initially by a panel of judges through a prolonged first round. Second round selections were done through viewers' SMS voting.
The show became a political issue as a local weekend newspaper backed by the Marxist People’s Liberation Front (JVP) ran a series of articles against the TV station and a selected 'star' named Shihan Mihiranga. The newspaper alleged that the TV channel was going to make him the 'Super Star'. As a result, the youth obtained less SMS voting and was sidelined from the final round. But still his photographs are the most demanded among the photos that are sold on the pavements of the cities and towns for Rs. 50 (half a dollar).
"'Super Star' has become a mania among the youth as well as some adults. Strange thing is that these singers have already become stars of so-called popular culture in Sri Lanka. Then what will happen to our ‘real stars’ or the old stars?" asks Neville Weerasinghe of the November Movement of artists. “Now it is very clear that media machines are able to manufacture as well as destruct what they need. They can make stars and smash them as well,” he said.
CP - lankaeverything
