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When it comes to TV viewing, it is almost impossible to find any quality on the free to air channels. I'm an unashamed TV snob and I'll only watch dramas like the Sopranos, The Wire, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
Given my TV snobbery any sojourn into free to
air entertainment would be a turn up for the books these days. This is because I almost always find reality TV which dominates the free to air channels to be bordering on asinine. From neighbours fighting over an apricot tree, to Police arresting drunk teens, to the drama of a soufflé not setting, reality TV is in the main cheap and nasty formulaic clap trap.
And watching shows like 'X-Factor' and 'Master Chef' at times can be a marathon because of the almost endless schmaltz which is a bit hard to take. It appears that most of the talent show finalists are either trying to rescue their families from destitution – an increasing factor of life in the economy these days – or it's their "last chance for [my] dream". There's also that interesting 'Americanism' of the involvement of God and Jesus in the progression of contestants through the phases of the show – I'd have thought that assisting people to material wealth and a recording career was low on the list of a deity's priorities.
But through it all, there is a business case behind the tears and running mascara and the search for excellence. The eventual winner of these 'reality game shows' will be someone with something which stands out and sets him or her apart from the rest.
In spite of my growing aversion to the genre, there is a relevant message for today's businesses – "Does your business have an X-Factor?" How does your offering set itself apart from the competition? If you don't know the answer to that question, maybe you should think of something – because your competitors inevitably will.
