Is the tone & content of the show essentially dictated by Simon Cowell? What role does NBC play?

Well, only those involved directly with the show would know the dynamics of exactly how things are done. Simon Cowell is one of 6 Executive Producers. There is also 1 Co-Executive Producer, and I have know idea what makes one of the 7 a Co-Executive Producer, and the other 6 just Executive Producers. As I understand it, the Executive Producers are those that finance the operation. they are paying for it to happen. Producers are hired to produce a show. Directors are the people more actively involved in the productions. "Getting their hands dirty" if you will. The show is then sold to a buyer, in this case NBC.

Now, what this actually translates to as far as who is deciding what can vary a lot. The executive producers have the final say as to what goes on, but they could leave it up to their producers as well if they prefer a more hands-off approach. With that in mind, the buyer, NBC could say, "we won't pick up your show if you do this," or "we will only air your show if you take this approach." The executive producers then have to decide whether to do what the network wants, or try to find another buyer, or negotiate a middle ground. If a Producer has a proven track record and is a hot commodity (maybe Simon Cowell fits this description?), then there may be several networks wanting to buy they show, so they basically have to let them do what ever they want with the show if they want to have it.

The short answer to your question is, I don't know, it depends.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the insight--it's quite believable that is how it works. Do you have some background in production?

Johnny M has hit the nail almost squarely on the head. He must have some insight into how production works.

The truth is, NBC has little to no say over what goes on in the show. They bought the show based on certain assumptions and guarantees made by the shows Exec Producers, and YES because Simon has a lot of pull and a good track record AND because AGT did so well last year, NBC of course agreed to pick up the show again and probably didn't even do any "screening" as it were to make sure it was up to the same calliber as last season. (Examples of such folly in network television decisions include the last season of The Apprentice...)

Simon is really the person who decides the "direction" of the show. Think of him as the CEO of the AGT company as it were. Though he may not have his hands in every pot, his dream, his idea, his vision of what the show should be is what yo usee on the screen. So believe me, if he wanted it any other way... it would be that way. I can assure you that Simon Cowell is not sitting at home going "I can't believe they did that!"

I don't have any specific insite to how AGT in particular works, but I have friend who has produced and directed some TV stuff. Also he's done freelance stuff that he has then tried to sell to TV stations. The stuff he's done has been small time local cable and the like, but I would imagine that the same basic principles would scale up to the big boys.

I find the industry pretty interesting, so I have quized him about what he does and how the mechanics of things work.

Johnny M and olandir are exactly correct. My brother is a co-producer for a film company (with experience in television network production) in Hollywood, and he confirmed that this is how it is for TV.

The entire show down to the winner is decided by Simon. In truth, the winner is probably already decided upon before production even begins.

If that's the case, I wonder who the winner is? An act we've seen already or yet to be seen? Was it a group
or individual singer?

This does and doesn't have relevance to this but...

I was just reading interviews on sirlinksalot regarding AGT and came across one with Sharon. It said that when she got mad and stormed off the stage they called Simon and he talked her into going back on stage. He was the one that explained to her it was in her contract that she must return. That's what Sharon explained in the interview. Interesting they called and he spoke with her.

I never thought about that but you're right. The audition shows are pre-recorded, so that means Simon already has a pretty clear idea of who he wants to win. Which makes it easy for him to design the commericials and edit the show in such a way as to almost assure that outcome.

I know it's been over a year but remember the commercials last year for AGT... how often did we see Bianca flash on the screen, belting it out.

No I'm not saying the girl didn't have talent or Bianca bashing but even her story was perfect and formulated correctly. She comes out and auditions, blowing the judges and audience away, winning the hearts and mind of America... then tragic disapointment in the second round, and the discovery that they forced her to sing a song she wasn't prepared for... then a terrific comeback in the finals, really showing what she could do! You couldn't have scripted it better... unless you are Simon .

You guys... let's watch this season with that in mind... let's read the mind of Simon based on how he molds the show and I bet you we can guess who wins before its even announced.

There is no question that the producers exert much more control over the show than they would like us to believe. Just the fact that they can tape acts, and are under no obligation to show what was taped, has a big effect, to say the least.

Since we are trying to figure out who they have predetermined to win....who were the acts they had featured on the home page after week one?

Week two is:


The acts from week 2 that are featured on the NBC AGT Home Page are Cinda, Johnny Come Lately, Lil' C, and the Cats.


The acts that are featured always seem to do well in the competition. Rapping Granny and Bianca were on the Home Page most of last season.

If that were true, surely that would cross some legal boundaries, given that once they get to a certain level, viewer votes are supposed to decide to some extent who goes through to the next round and then eventually the winner. I assume, perhaps incorrectly, that they would have to demonstrate a good faith effort to acurately tabulate the voting.

There must be certain legal accountability when you've promoted it as such both to the contestants and the viewing audience. Even during the little cheerleader incident, someone - I assume a producer - could be heard telling Sharon O that the rules stated a decision on the contestant had to be rendered.

If the show were proven to be rigged from start to finish, wouldn't it be grounds for both a class-action lawsuit by the contestants and criminal charges? I don't claim to be an expert on such matters.

Anyone?

Except that she knocked that second song - Another Little Piece Of My Heart - out of the park. It was done at least as well as her first performance. All that nonsense about her "almost blowing it" and "screeching everything" was just more Piers-babble.

Well, I'm sure the 60 page contract everyone has to sign gives them plenty of loopholes around any laws or rights that might be violated. And if they manipulate things well enough they shouldn't have to mess with the votes.

Also, if you watch the credits, once voting starts, I'm sure they will have something in there stating that they can disregard phone-in votes. They have a message like that at the end of American idol. I think the wording implies that it's intended to counter votes from cheaters, but it's not like the FBI is gonna be investigating.

my understanding is that once the voting starts since they are running this as a contest, it is actually watched over by federal regulation and they have to be prepared at any time to have the feds come in and check it out and make sure it is being run according to national law.
Now, that being said, that does not mean that the producers can't "pre-select" anyone they want to go through to the voting rounds..and they probably do. I am sure there will be some lemons in there with almost no talent just to get people interested in what is going on, the "drama" of it all. As for not accepting some of the telephone votes--this is pure conjecture, but I have heard of phone slamming where certain areas will open up their phone banks and call in for a specific candidate that is from that area (this was in relation to a beauty pagent) In these situations people were actually paid to call in from phone banks and vote for certain contestants. If America's Got Talent were to discover anything like that going on I would certainly WANT them to interceed and NOT accept paid for votes, wouldn't you?

I'm sure the voting and everything is all real... but what happens is... they sort of make it so that we will vote for the person they want. Like somoene else posted... they put some acts in there that are sure to loose, they pump up the ones they want to pump up... basically it's stacking the deck. America may be voting but they're voting the way the producers have planned it.

It's not that hard to manipulate a vote like this.