Win-win for everybody
Twenty-six-year-old Zhang Shujia wants to establish a traditional Chinese arts and crafts school; Zhong Jianhong wants to launch a national hotpot chain and Benjamin Schwartz wants to become a super star in China. And they all want to be winners.
Winner was launched by Dragon TV in 2005 and offers 1 million yuan ($128,000) to the show's winner as start-up capital for the winner's own business.
Though Wang Yu was |
This reality show has evolved into a mix between The Apprentice and Big Brother. Participants have business projects to complete and at the same time, cameras follow their every move, 24/7.
After 11 weeks of furious competition, only three of the original 16 contestants remain Zhang Shujia, Zhong Jianhong and Shao Yijia. Poor Benjamin (also known as Benji) was dumped two weeks ago.
Thirty-four-year-old Shao,who drives his BMW to the training camp, is the chief representative of a German company in Shanghai and is the oldest player. The grand prize of 1 million yuan might not mean so much to him as to other participants but it is more than money.
"It's the experience I want. This is definitely an experience of a lifetime," he said. "Besides, I have an opportunity to get acquainted with elite people in the business world. Maybe I can make friends, and even find business partners."
His relaxed attitude has helped him cruise through the competition and his business experience has also come in handy. "The first few assignments were too simple, like hawking products on the street. The participants probably won't learn much from it," he said.
"But later the assignments have become closer to real business. I've been exposed to new industries, which will expand my career into new fields."
Even though Benji was voted out, the dream-chasing American has made himself familiar to millions of China. A good singer, actor and entertainer, Benji also displayed his strong business talents.
When Benji was team leader, the participants were sent to design a promotion campaign to raise money for poor students. He asked the students to write or draw their dreams for their future, and had them printed on the lunchbox designs. Viewers were so touched by the images that Benji's team won the round.
An accounting graduate, Benji came to China last year leading his university's "Young Ambassadors" song and dance troupe to China, and later came back to work as an intern in Tianjin.
"I felt I had this special link with China, and wanted my future to be related to China," he said, "I loved singing and performing since childhood, and my major is accounting. I hope to combine these two in my career."
Last July, he made a bold decision to quit graduate studies and come to China. "I want to be a singer and public idol in China. I want to be an entertainer and entrepreneur."
"Within months of my arrival in China, I have had lots of opportunities, hosting shows, modelling, and now I am in Winner!"
Benjamin Schwartz joins the Winner program hoping to become a super star in China. |
However, in the 10th week Benji was eliminated.
Needs of audience
Producers of the show revealed they learn from other foreign reality shows.
"We do learn a lot from foreign shows of the same subject, such as The Apprentice. For example, we intentionally chose to recruit people with business talent as well as good TV presentation," said Ray Fu, director of the show.
Li Tian, the PR director of the show, said catering to the needs of the Chinese audience was vital.
"Chinese people tend to be conservative. We don't want to offend people, but we need conflicts in the show," Fu said.
The competitors live in enclosed apartments, and the producers don't let them see any of the episodes they have recorded, neither showing them any comments from the outside.
Chinese producers do not want to create the same drama and sensation that shows of this ilk create in the West and want to follow mainstream ideology.
"When people complained that it reveals too much of the human dark inside full of conspiracy and scheming, we adjusted the assignments and designed them to highlight some moral values," said Li Jing, writer of the Winner.
Zhong, the hotpot restaurant manager, recently won audience support for showing care and responsibility at the risk of losing the round.
The two teams were sent to promote Internet singers. Zhong's team had made all preparations for a stage performance only to find that the student singer could not leave school. "I am a father myself. The singer's parents have spent a fortune for the girl's tuition," Zhong said.
"If she disobeys the school right before graduation, her parents' efforts may have been in vain, and the school may not let her graduate.
"We decided to accompany her to the school, and admit her mistake to the headmaster." Fortunately, the school's principal was impressed, and the young singer was granted permission to leave school.
Shao Yijia, 34, chief representative of a German company in Shanghai, says he is in the game for the experience rather than for money. |
The distraction threw their plans in disarray and deprived the singer time for rehearsal. "But we gained public acknowledgement, and we think this is more important," Zhong said.
There have been many comments and criticism about the Winner show online. "Zhong Jianhong is a real man," reads a message on Baidu.com, "he has great sense of responsibility for the family".
But there are also messages disclosing scandals and dark stories about the players. "We'd like to let it be," Fu said. "It's a TV show and we want people to comment."
Winner of 2005 Chen Xi has successfully launched his own company, doing mobile phone service. Not just the money, but his popularity among the audience also provided convenience for his business. Another competitor from last year was offered a good job by the show's largest sponsor, Shui-on group.
It may not just be the showbiz. "Venture capitalists approached some of us who already went out," Zhang said, "they were ready to invest in their business plans."
The final episode will be broadcasted on February 3.
(China Daily 01/23/2007 page18)
