Video Beat Extra Extra - Pinoy Dream Academy SLIPS - ASAP loaded with Talent - August 2006

James Loving - National Radio Text Service - Monday August 21, 2006

TEEN PINOY BIG BROTHER WINNER KIM CHIU - ABS-CBN's DREAM ACADEMY Show SLIPS - THE APPRENTICE WINNER -- Miss Cambodia Contest DENIED & CANCELED

KIM CHIU is the Latest Benefactor of the ABS - CBN Talent Search & Development

If there is an example of how the ABS - CBN network (Alto Broadcasting System-Chronicle Broadcasting Network) develops talent it would be Pinoy Big Brother Teenage Edition winner Kimberly Sue Yap Chiu. The Chinese born Filipino entered the Big Brother house with 13 other teens April 23, 2006 just four days after her 16th birthday.

Her personality and talent earned her 41.4% of the final voting. Her winnings included 1 million pesos (US$19,000), a condominium unit, a 4-year college scholarship at AMA Computer University. She also won other prizes valued at 3 million pesos (US$57,000).

ABS - CBN wasted no time in putting her other three housmate finalists to work. They following day after the final show they appeared on the variety show ASAP.

Also that Sunday afternoon they appeared on the showbiz talk show The Buzz. That evening, they appeared on The Pinoy Big Brother: The Big Reunion where all the housemates from the three Pinoy Big Brother shows Pinoy Big Brother Season 1, Celebrity Edition and Teen Edition joined in on stage.

All 14 Teen Housemates will be receiving management contracts from the network.

KATIE HOLMES - DAWSONS CREEK

Actress Katie Holmes has risen to fame and fortunes during the past eight years BUT DID YOU KNOW Holmes first major exposure to television viewers was as a cast member in the Warner Brothers TV series DAWSONS CREEK? WRITTEN IN THAI LANGUAGE.

PINOY DREAM ACADEMY

The Filipino network ABS - CBN (Alto Broadcasting System-Chronicle Broadcasting Network) has a good concept going with their DREAM ACADEMY talent search program.

The show is co-hosted by former Pinoy Big Brother host Toni Gonzaga and Philippine American Sam Milby. Milby is a result of the networks talent development as he was a contestant on the regular Big Brother show. There were three… regular, celebrity edition and teen.

Much like American Idol the network took the model one step further by auditioning aspiring entertainment stars of Filipino heritage from around the world.

Auditions were held from May to June in various cities in the Philippines, as well as overseas auditions in Sydney, Milan, Tokyo, Dubai, and San Francisco. American Idol only does their search in the USA.

The winners are then flown to Manila to compete for a cash prize and a scholarship to be trained towards being polished performers at the Dream Academy in Manila.

The Dream Academy is a talent development school in the Philippines. Some of the entrants on the TV show have previous experience but want to go to the Dream Academy to develop their talent. One hopeful noted that he was a dancer but wanted to develop his singing skills.

Some talent from the show are given jobs as entertainers on some of the networks shows delivered over TFC (The Filipino Channel) .

Programs such as Pinoy Big Brother and the variety show ASAP intentionally or not have purpose in not only developing talent but also the entertainers maturity, self esteem and bringing out a persons true self-worth.

When the first show for this season aired on Saturday August 12th it demonstrated promise. Though there were some rough edges in the fluidity and execution of the shows production but it was entertaining.

We recommended that viewers tune in watch. We gave a specific time and a glaring problem jumped up…. the network changed the start time.

On the 12th the show was televised from 9:30 to 10:15 pm (Phnom Penh). That was the time we suggested that viewers to tune in. This week August 19th the show started at 9:00pm and ended at 9:55. A rebroadcast was televised the following day (Sunday) at 10am (Phnom Penh - 11am Hong Kong/Singapore).

The production was flawed in every way. The presenters seemed on edge, the talent wasn't as good as the previous week and the interviews were unprofessional.

If there is a lesson to be learned from this it is the network needs to adhere to a set schedule so the viewers can trust and build confidence in the network. Trust will help build a strong international audience.

Being that the show is airing its audition stage and the real show competition hasn't commenced there is room for improvement.

The American Idol audition stage shows weren't that interesting and much of it was painful to watch.

When the real competition began American Idol took it to another level and the program became interesting. Hopefully the same transition will occur on Dream Academy.

For a network that is trying to market its programming internationally and sell it on a subscription basis the network itself needs to take some training in MANAGEMENT so the viewing audience and potential subscribers can trust and know what they are buying. Isn't being on time important in business?

Attempts to communicate with the network to a qualified responsible media contact was frustrating with the result being unresponsive. That is another glaring problem with their business.

The silver lining of the network is they have a number of programs where they take raw talent and develop their skills into being polished performers.

Shows such as Pinoy Big Brother and ASAP are as good as it gets in accomplishing this effort.

The network resources their talent development by using the entertainers in several other networks shows including Filipino language soap operas.

The recently turned 18-year-old vocalist/actress Sarah Geronimo is the most shining example as her popularity and exceptional talent has evolved in her currently being tour of the USA.

For providing opportunity and providing training of up and coming entertainers, from our perspective no one does it better than the ABS - CBN network.

The TFC programs are also available for live viewing and subscription via the Internet through ABS-CBN Interactive's ABS-CBNNow! service.

So what time will the Dream Academy show air next Saturday? Your guess is as good as mine. Only the network knows… ah… maybe. Stay tuned….

Chan Thouen was the first Cambodian Freshie Girl winner in 2002. She now hosts a variety show as well as a talk show on Bayon TV in Cambodia.

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL RAPS

The NBA champion Miami Heat's All-star center Shaquille O'Neal has appeared in several movies including Blue Steel. He has also recorded several RAP CD'S. Is he taking it to the MAX?

CHRIS WEBBER of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers is the boyfriend of TOP MODEL host and producer TYRA BANKS? Ahhhh... I rest my case!

ALSO

Did you know that the Survivor Africa reality television show winner Ethan Zohn was a professional football player?

The SEATTLE SUPERSONICS of the NBA, All-Star guard RAY ALLEN was featured in the film "He Got Game." It's about a much sought after outstading high school player who's father is in jail. A college wants him to attend their school and the warden of the prison where the father is jailed lets him out to persuade his son to attend the university. Check out your CD shop…ya know what I'm say-yin?

The new Superman film is currently out but did you know that Dean Cain the host of Ripley's Believe It or Not played the part of Superman on the USA's ABC television series Lois & Clark.

After graduating from the highly accredited Princeton University in the USA he became a professional football player was a member of the Buffalo Bills in the NFL (National Football League)..

As we noted earlier regarding the Miss Cambodia contest....Stay tuned for this. Given TIC (This Is Cambodia), schedules can change at the last second..

We hate to be an I TOLD YOU SO BUT... The Cambodian government denied Planet Communications permission to produce Miss Cambodia Contest.

August 1st was the original first day of accepting applications to enter the event. The date was then rescheduled to August 15.

The contest was to begin September 10 with the final scheduled to be held October 28. The intention was to enter the winner into the Miss Universe contest.

The Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts is involved in the planning process of the event. There was a concern regarding the contestants wearing a swimsuit in the Miss Universe Contest Stay tuned

Planet previously noted that applications for the Freshie Boy & Girl contest will be taken in October. The contest will begin in November. The Freshie contest is for boys and girls 16 to 20 years of age.

THE APPRENTICE

Randal was the Season 4 winner of The Apprentice is a close decision over 23-year-old Rebecca

Three members of the shows competitors were selected by each of the two finalists lending their expertise in completing a task. They each had to overcome obstacles. The respect the team members had for each other helped in completing the task of raising money for charity organizations.

In the final show the shows host and producer Donald Trump had a very hard decision to make in which candidate he would hire to run of his companies. One task was to oversee the building of the largest condominium complex in the US state of New Jersey. The other was to oversee the renovations of three of Trumps hotel casinos' in Atlantic City New Jersey.

Randal chose the casino project. Trump asked each team member who had all previously been eliminated their opinion of the performance of their leaders and finalists.

One of the team members said they respected their project leader noting that they would never work for someone they DID NOT RESPECT.

After Trump chose Randal he said he respected Randal's decision making and asked him if he should also hire Rebecca since she preferred to do the condominium project.

Randal said NO… The reason being it would be a first for the show to hire both applicants. Randal's response said the show is called the Apprentice not the Apprenti (more than one).

Rebecca was recently seen on CNBC as a financial news reporter.

THE CONTENDER

If there was a show that taught how to coexist THE CONTENDER is it. Sixteen boxers from various areas of the US come together, live together and FIGHT EACH OTHER to win a US $1 million prize.

These fighters are from tough neighborhoods, many from broken homes and for the most part didn't have much of anything as they were growing up.

This is season 2 and is hosted by former boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard. This is a major change on the program as in its first season was hosted by Sylvester Stallone the star of the film Rocky.

Season one champion Sergio Mora took part of his $1,000,000 winnings to buy his mother a home in Las Vegas, Nevada USA. Mora's father left her when the fighter was a youngster. His deed was to show his mother his appreciation of the effort she put forth to raise him with her being a single mother.

This is a show about the survival of the fittest and the will to win.

THE CONTENDER AIRS in Southeast Asia: Thursday at 9:00pm (8pm in Phnom Penh) and 1:00am (midnight in Phnom Penh) . Also at 7:00pm Saturday. Check your local listings for time and date.

DID YOU KNOW???

Angelina Jolie is the daughter of actor Jon Voight? One of his most famous films Midnight Cowboy is currently being televised on the MGM movie channel in Asia. The HBO film GIA is her best work.

1. JIM MURRAY 2. Kobe Bryant & NBA Trivia 3. Cambodia's Royal Palace 4. Zico Leads Japan To World Cup. Who is Zico? - 5. Grammy Music Awards Show 6. Teerathep Leads Thailand to SEA Games Title 7. Thailand Impressive against Premiere Club Sides and Real Madrid 8. Australia's Carins Brothers Rugby 9. DON KING, HBO Picture's... 10. SUPER BOWL - Jerome Bettis Steelers Dynasty -- Full Story NR Top 2

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