High uncertainty surrounds the state-side contest after a lacklustre performance in the ratings.
Christer Björkman, the current American Song Contest Producer, has spoken to TV-fabriken regarding the first season of the show and whether it is likely to return for a second run.
Last year saw the highly anticipated launch of the American Song Contest, featuring star-studded hosts Kelly Clarkson and Snoop Dogg. The first season also saw world reknown artist Michael Bolton compete. Now in the 2023, it seems that a second season remains in the balance.
It has been widely reported that the first season of the contest has failed to live up to the high expectations of American broadcaster NBC. This included the shows low viewing figures estimated to be around 2 million people tuning in each week for its eight week series.
According to Mr Björkman, NBC has to take responsibility for part of shows failure stating:
I cannot control how the channel manages to get the message out and how they manage to spread knowledge about this program. I can’t do much about that. That’s really a question for them to answer. Are they satisfied with how they got the message out? No I do not think so. Are they happy with the viewership? No, I don’t think so either.
Are they happy that they moved four weeks so they ended up on the same start date as Idol? No, I don’t think they’re happy with that either.
The Swedish producer continued saying:
There are a lot of things that I think could have been done differently to get better dissemination and greater awareness that this program would appear. But that’s their headache, they have to deal with that and they have to try to fix that for a second season. It’s a bit out of my control.
Whether the American Song Contest will return for a second season is still being discussed.
It is also worth noting, that as with many American networks, periodically there is a change in management at the highest levels and since the shows airing, senior managers have since changed at NBC, casting even more doubt on its possible return. Björkman explains that:
Negotiations are still ongoing. It’s like everything else, it’s about money … We have presented a proposal to those who are at the level that they have said they can accept. Now it’s just a matter of if they want to do it, and where they want to do it.
The first artist to win the contest was AleXa with her song “Wonderland”. She also won the title of Best Original Song in another show broadcast by NBC.
Entries from all 50 states, 5 U.S. territories, and the nation’s capital Washington, D.C., competed for the title of Best Original Song.
Would you like to see the American Song Contest return? What changes would you like to see to the show? Let us know.
Image Source: NBC | Source: Aftonbladet
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