Swipe Right

On June 22nd, ABC premiered its show Rising Star. To some people, it was “just another singing show.” This one however had a new twist. America did not just vote for their favorite singer, they had to download the Rising Star App. 
Before each singer, voters had to “check-in.” If you did not check in before the performance started, you were not able to vote. Not only could you  and vote yes for the contestants, but you could also  and vote no. As the contestants performed, they watched their percentage of votes increase. They even had a screen popping up pictures of was voting for them! Judges Kesha, Brad Paisley, and Ludacris also voted (their votes counting a little more). Voting lasted only during the 3 minute song, and by the end of the show, they knew who was staying and who was going home. 
Whether the show gets picked back up or not is still in the air, I think it was a great way to keep people engaged by using an app. Viewers otherwise known as “judges” had to be focused in or they would not be able to vote that round. It also made the judges feel that immediate satisfaction that their votes were counting as they watched the percentage of their favorite contestant rise during his or her performance. This is something new, and I can see it being used on other TV programs in the future!