Read the text and do the two exercises below.

The X Factor

Millions of television viewers around the world have become familiar with the musical talent show The X Factor, which started in Britain in 2004 and has since become an international franchise. In some countries the name is different — for example, Factor X in Spain and XSeer Al Najah in Arabic-speaking countries — but the format is usually the same: pop singers or groups compete in front of a small group of judges, and a large studio audience, for the prize of a recording contract.

The British version of the show has been enormously successful. Aired on Saturday evenings between August and December, around 13 million people watch it — more than a fifth of the population. Fans vote by telephone for their favourite act, and on Sunday evening the results are announced in a follow-up show. The two acts who receive the fewest votes from the public normally have to perform again and then their fate is in the hands of the four judges: the one the judges think has sung better stays in the competition, but the loser has to go.
As the competition goes on, the performers are in the public eye for more often than two evenings a week: their talents (or the lack of it), personalities and off-stage behaviour are also discussed endlessly by gossip magazines and tabloids, their faces appearing on the front pages. Feelings run so high that campaigns for or against the contestants are launched on social networking sites and discussed among friends and families sometimes causing even fights.

In Britain, winning The X Factor means that the singer or group will be able to make a lot of money from their music, at least in the short term. In most years the debut album by the winner, which is released in December, has reached the top of the singles charts by Christmas.

Some people, however, think the programme influences the music-buying public too much. This is why in 2009 there was a campaign to persuade people to buy another single to ensure the song by The X Factor’s winner wouldn’t be number one at Christmas (the recommended singles were ‘Killing in the Name’ by the American band Rage Against the Machine in 2009, and believe it or not, a studio recording of pure silence in 2010). As it succeeded the campaign is repeated this year. Another kind of protest against the 2010 competition was when a lot of people voted every week for the contestant with by far the worst voice — he was finally let go only in late November.

Exercise 1

Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F), or not in the text (N).

1.   The studio of the British version of The X Factor is located in London.

2.   The winner in 2010 was the singer with the worst voice.

3.   There are three judges in the show.

4.   The winning song of the 2009 competition was number one at Christmas the same year.

5.   The TV audience for the programme increases as the competition goes on.

6.   The judges decide which two singers have to perform again in the follow-up show on Sunday evening.

7.   The judges are the same every week.

8.   Spain has its own version of The X Factor on a different name.

9.   Every country in Europe has its own version of The X Factor.

10. The show lasts for 5 months.

Exercise 2

Answer the questions about the text.

1.   What kind of British newspapers discuss almost every day the contestants on The X Factor?

2.   What do the winners receive as the most important prize in every country?

3.   When was the programme first on show on British TV?

4.   On average, what proportion of the British population watches The X Factor on a Saturday

evening?

5.   In what ways have campaigns in 2009 and 2010 tried to undermine the show’s success?

Answers

And finally a Hungarian and an English Girl who has the X-factor.