[James]

Project Fame to replace Big Brother show
08 April, 2004

GABORONE MultiChoice says it will not air its popular reality television shows, Big Brother and Pop Idols, this year but will hold Project Fame instead.

Like the two shows, Project Fame is a reality television show in which 16 chosen competitors will have the opportunity to perform their way to stardom.

The 16 finalists will for 13 weeks, live and be filmed 24 hours a day and seven days a week in a musical academy.

They will be given expert training in every aspect of the music business - from performance and songwriting to behind-the-scenes preparation by personal advisors.

Patricia Reynolds, marketing manager of MultiChoice Botswana told a news briefing that South Africa has been reserved 10 slots, while Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana and Nigeria will competed for the remaining six.

The continental competition to select the six is scheduled for May 23- August 29 in South Africa. More than just a talent competition, Project Fame allows viewers a unique opportunity to follow, day-by-day, the behind the scenes progress of 16 young hopefuls as they are groomed for success in a tough performance academy.

The contestants must be 18 years or older and able to sing or either play a musical instrument or have an additional musical or performance skill (from dancing to song writing). Carl Fischer, M-Net director of local productions, said African audiences could look forward to a highly entertaining reality show in the form of Project Fame.

she observed that Project Fame is a show that can be described as a marriage between voyeuristic Big Brother and musical phenomenon Idols.

The audience will decide which contestant should leave the academy weekly and finally vote for the winner of Project Fame.

The winner will walk away with a recording contract, loads of exciting prizes and the ultimate prize for any superstar FAME.

She said the winner will also live a VIP life style.

The show will be produced by Endemol South Africa and is based on an international format that originated in Spain as Operación Triunfo and has been successfully produced in nine countries so far, including Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Greece, Italy Russia and the United Kingdom.

In Spain, a staggering six million albums amongst the 16 contestants were sold and at one point seven entries in the Spanish Top 10 were from the show's students.

The British version, Fame Academy, entertained more than eight million UK television viewers and attracted seven million votes in the final show.

MultiChoice stated that Endemol executive producer, Marie Rosholt, who also produced the hugely popular Big Brother-series for M-Net, is confident that Project Fame will be equally successful across the continent.

Project Fame is proudly sponsored by MTN a cellular company. Reynolds said that entry forms for PROJECT FAME are available at MultiChoice offices in Botswana and their agents, Hi-Tech Selebi-Phikwe, Hi-Tech Palapye, Serorome ward and GFS Supermarket in Ghanzi, Musica at Riverwalk and Game City.

http://www.gov.bw/cgi-bin/news.cgi?d...g_Brother_show