Dubai is set to be the ground for the showdown between the Middle East sector champions in The Filipino Channel (TFC) Pop Star Search singing contest, which plans to go regional next year, as part of the satellite broadcaster's expansion plans.
TFC project director Anton R. Tajanlangit told Gulf News next year's competition would likely be open to all Filipinos residing in the six GCC countries, namely Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and the UAE.
Each of the countries is considered as one sector with only one possible champion, except for Saudi Arabia, which will have three sectors.
After the sector champions have been selected, all eight winners will meet in Dubai for the singing showdown.
Tajanlangit said they were still trying to work out the mechanics of the newly-expanded competition, seeing the capability of sectors' organisers at holding the rounds at the national level.
The singing competition similar to the reality-based American Idol competition, but which allows audience voting to contribute only 20 per cent to the final tally draws more than 100 contestants and about 750,000 viewers every year from the Gulf, according to Tajanlangit.
Among the new things the ABS-CBN Middle East, the company that owns The Filipino Channel, is planning include the abolishment of the junior category for the singing competition in the annual Pop Star Search, he added.
Tajanlangit also said the broadcaster was planning to lower the age limit to 13 to 29, to ensure the "marketability" of the winner.
The competition previously allowed contestants aged up to 40 to compete.
"This is not just a singing competition. We are looking for a pop star, somebody who can sell tickets," he said.
Tajanlangit said the third instalment of the Pop Star Search would likely begin in January or February next year and run for at least three months to accommodate the sector competitions.
He said the prizes would remain the same previous winners won cash prizes and property in the Philippines though the intensity of the competition would likely increase.
"It's an intensive contest. It's not like an ordinary singing contest where you show up, you sing and you win because of your voice," he said.
"We want more quality in the next bunch of contestants because we've had people who just sing in the bathroom and enter because they think they can sing," he added.
Gulf News
