THE EDITOR, Sir:
I HAVE been watching several talent competitions on our local television stations and I appreciate the fact that many persons have been given the opportunity to parade their talents and even establish a platform from which to launch successful careers, but I am still somewhat disappointed with the final verdicts of who the winners are.
I recognise that it is the public and not the judges that make the final decision when choosing the winners and I just cannot see the logic behind that. The absence of the judges' input (excepting for scant remarks) does no justice to the objectivity and sensibility of the final decision. The exclusive use of the public's votes nullifies the importance and necessity of the judges. I'm sure they are chosen because of their proficiency in the field of music and so who better to decide or even influence the final decision?
I know that it may be argued that it really is partially decided by the judges, since their score cards are the determining factor in the first and knockout rounds and ultimately the selection of the finalists, but as a good friend of mine says, "It is all a money thing". When voters text in their nomination for winner, the organisers and promoters make a lot of money, but they must recognise that the careless choice of a winner defeats the entire purpose of the competition which I would suppose is to select the best performer.
The most recent evidence of this was TVJ's 'All Together Sing', a high school choir competition. Please understand that I think all three finalists were very good choirs, but it was so evident that Cornwall College's choir was the best. I did not even state my opinion when I personally ran a poll on who viewers thought was the best and still I got a resounding thumbs up for Cornwall College. The dynamics, the clarity, the harmony were so great I think they deserved a national youth award (OK, maybe a bit over the edge).
It would be better if an equitable approach was used to decide the winners. I believe the voice of the viewers counts and so I think it would be fair to allow the votes to account for 50 per cent of the decision and the judges the other 50 per cent. This way the winner would not be decided merely because of 'like' but by virtue of both professional input and popular choice.
I am, etc.,
LEON FERGUSON
Thegreat1_9@yahoo.com
NCU, Mandeville.
Via Go-Jamaica
