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With all the music and talent competitions floating around now days it was a wise decision to include some school pride and a cappella style singers. Each episode there are eliminations as expected, and a culmination at the end when the winners are announced. This season the competitors include Howard University, Dartmouth College, The University of Delaware, and Brigham Young University. In the first episode we see that The Cat's Pajamas (from Branson, MO) and the Fannin Family from Hortonville, WI were the first two groups to be eliminated. Hosted by Nick Lachey (former member of 98 Degrees, a boy band) and talented judges including Shawn Stockman (from Boyz II Men), Ben Folds (singer, songwriter) and Sara Bareilles (pianist, singer, songwriter) who replaces Nicole Scherzinger (lead singer of Pussycat Dolls) who moved to judge on The X Factor. Some super stars of the musical world will make appearances including Neil Diamond, Bobby McFerrin, Smokey Robinson, and Boyz II Men. For those who like pop music and anyone who appreciates talent when they see it this show insures a definite good time viewing.

When you crave a little more Snoop Dogg in your video viewing diet, ride shotgun with him on a guided tour through his dark world, savouring an all-Snoop soundtrack, and beholding the wonders of "More Malice." "More Malice," the movie, shows you why Snoop Dogg leads the league in "branding" "”the man, the myth, the legend, and the cloud of fragrant smoke around him"¦all trademarked, registered, patented, copyrighted, and owned. Although the Snoop himself doesn't often lay down a track any more, his blessing on an artist, a song, or a video bestows "the Midas touch." And he has more than enough in the Snoop Dogg catalogue to sustain brisk sales and mega-downloads pretty much until the world runs out of fossil fuels. You could close read and parse "More Malice," the movie, as the gospel according to Snoop, because it showcases everything good and super-bad about ghetto chic. The music and the movie would stand-up to the scrutiny. But it's a lot more fun and more characteristically Snoop just to go with the follow and see where the mean streets lead.

From its first Sunday night back on June 20, 1948 continuously until June 6 of 1971, the Ed Sullivan Show was THE place to debut new talent or see the old and proven make a comeback. In between the various acts was the man himself, Ed Sullivan. Ed was uniquely talented as a master of ceremonies who could get the biggest stars to appear on his show. That first Sunday night he welcomed Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis as well as Rodgers and Hammerstein who performed music from their new Broadway show "South Pacific". This early programming was live TV and the occasional error was to be anticipated which made such show all the more inviting to watch. Previously titled Toast of the Town, The Ed Sullivan Show showcased new talent such as Elvis Presley along with show regulars like Topo, Ed's Little Italian Mouse (a sidekick puppet) and Senor Wences who was a comical ventriloquist. Elvis performed live on Ed Sullivan three times for a reported fifty thousand dollars (an enormous amount back in the 1950's). In 1963 Ed hosted the latest style in music when he invited the Beatles to perform.

Watching CeCe Jones and Rocky Blue fulfilling their dream of becoming dancers shows the rest of us that all things are possible. The two girls get the opportunity to become background dancers in the locally presented show Shake It Up, Chicago and begin on an adventure filled with misadventures, troubles, and plenty of fun along the way. A buddy and dance concept has been used previously by Disney (Sonny With A Chance & The Famous Jett Jackson), and this time around it's about dreams coming true. Family trials and tribulation are included as well as competition among siblings. The series even spun off an album titled Shake It Up: Break It Down with the title song performed by Selena Gomez. Stars include 14 year old Bella Thorne as CeCe Jones (Forget Me Not, Craw Lake), 15 year old Zendaya Coleman (Kidz Bop "˜Hot n Cold') as Rocky Blue, and Adam Irigoyen as the girls best buddy, Deuce Martinez. Also starring are Roshon Fegen, Caroline Sunshine, Kenton Duty, and Davis Cleveland. Great music and enjoyable dancing make this Disney Channel series well worth watching!

For an American rock band from LA this is a group that stands out due to talent and showmanship. The music video is an excellent way to showcase talented musicians and entertainers and has been since the beginning of the concept brought out by MTV back in August of 1981. Videos made by 30 Seconds to Mars have been successful at the awards programs and they proved that by winning the MTV2 Award for their "The Kill" video in 2006. Their "A Beautiful Lie" became certified platinum as it sold well over one million albums on CD. As a talented group the members of 30 Seconds to Mars include Jared Leto, himself an actor as well as lead vocalist, song writer, and rhythm guitarist, his brother Shannon Leto who plays drums, and Tomo Milicevic a keyboardist and lead guitar. Music videos look easy to make but most are actually mini movies that take time and money to create and the results will often be an excellent method of introducing new albums and singles that can play for years when successful. This band has proven they have staying power as well as talent.

"American Idol" promises to whisk ready and willing singers from America's heartland off to Hollywood. Now, Emirates Air promises to fly Middle Eastern and Indian talents away to Bollywood. Equal glitz, glamour, and talent. Slightly different rhythm and lyrics. Primary sponsor Emirates Airlines produces and promotes "Destination: Bollywood" with masterful management of multi-media, giving Middle Eastern and West Asian talents a chance to take their singing and dancing careers to "the next level." "Destination: Bollywood" offers a spectacular case study in twenty-first century multi-platform marketing. The show airs on Star India Plus, in Canada on Rogers video-on-demand; and it is widely available on Hulu. Emirates Air builds audience loyalty and attracts new viewers through skilled use of social networks both on the worldwide web and via mobile; they also do extensive in-theatre and radio promotions. The mobile element in "Destination: Bollywood" is essential, because"”like "American Idol" "”the show asks viewers to vote for their favourites via their handhelds. New York marketing analyst John Demarchi explains, "The mobile elements of the Emirates sponsorship [for "Destination: Bollywood] is mobile voting and also surveying after votes are cast. When people watch on TV, we ask them to vote using mobile voting, texting a keyword into a short code, and based on that mobile voting, we determine each week's winner who will advance to the finals."