Who Will Be Idol? The Importance of Social Networks for Winning on Reality Shows

Heizler (Cohen), Odelia () and Ayal Kimhi
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Heizler (Cohen), Odelia: Academic College of Tel-Aviv Yaffo

No 5056, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper examines, both theoretically and empirically, the effect of social networks and belonging to minority groups (or race) on the probability of winning in reality television shows. We develop a theoretical model that studies viewer behavior by presenting a framework of competition between two contestants from two different groups. The results are examined empirically using unique contestant data from the highly popular reality show "A Star Is Born", the Israeli counterpart of "American Idol". Our main finding is that social networks and belonging to minority groups play key roles in the contestant’s victory, but their effects are nonlinear: the social network effect is U-shaped, whereas that of belonging to a minority group follows an inverted U shape. Beyond the world of reality TV, this paper sheds light on the general behavior of social networks as well.

Keywords: American Idol; social networks; minority groups; contest; voting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D71 J15 P16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 30 pages
Date: 2010-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cdm, nep-net and nep-soc
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Published - published in: Journal of Socio-Economics, 2012, 41 (1), 18-25

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Journal Article: Who will be idol? The importance of social networks for winning on reality shows (2012)
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