‘Never been kissed’ singer, 47, wows Cowell

[Yuriatin]

Re: Susan or Shaheen?

Vocally - I like the little boy more.

Yes - Susan was more emotional, her whole story and all but - I've been listening to her sing other songs the past few days - all these interviews she's been doing ...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gen</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i like shaheen's second song performance. him too young fi a sing amy winehouse fawt </div></div>

[evanovitch]

ITV misses out as Susan Boyle conquers web

ITV misses out as Susan Boyle conquers webYouTube and TV bosses work to end revenue stalemate as talent show star gets 100m hits
Caroline Davies The Observer, Sunday 26 April 2009

ITV has missed out on sharing a million-pound windfall from clips of Scottish singing sensation Susan Boyle uploaded onto video website YouTube.

Boyle's performance on ITV's Britain's Got Talent<span style="font-weight: bold"> has attracted more than 100 million hits on the site </span>in a fortnight as the 47-year-old church volunteer continues to captivate a huge global audience.

But the financially beleaguered channel had insisted that no advertisements be shown alongside the clips until it has thrashed out a deal with Google, which owns YouTube. The stalemate has meant that no one - not ITV, nor Simon Cowell, nor YouTube itself - has been able to cash in. Estimates of how much ITV - and the show's producers, Talkback Thames, and Simon Cowell's company, Syco - could have lost to date vary between £500,000 and £1.5m. ITV has been battered by an advertising slump recently and is cutting hundreds of jobs.

Late on Friday night Fremantle Media, which owns the digital distribution rights to Britain's Got Talent outside the UK, made the first move towards capitalising on Boyle's internet success with the agreement of ITV. Fremantle set up an official Britain's Got Talent channel on YouTube, and intends to rake in what it can from future clips shown around the world, but still excluding Britain. It does not matter if the clips are uploaded by a fan or by ITV because the revenue generated always goes to the copyright owner under YouTube regulations.

Yesterday ITV seemed to be moving towards rectifying a situation that has dragged on for two weeks and left experts amazed. What observers cannot understand is why the broadcaster has failed to take advantage of the millions visiting the Boyle sites - money that is now lost forever.

An ITV spokesman confirmed the company was in discussions with YouTube. He said: &quot;ITV, Talkback Thames and Syco are exploring the options for monetising traffic on YouTube. We are delighted that Britain's Got Talent has been such a success across all of ITV's platforms. Obviously any deal would have to be something that worked for all parties concerned.&quot;

ITV.com, which shows footage from the show and contains adverts, has seen a 700% increase in user traffic, garnering more than 11 million hits.

Boyle's international audience has learned of her mainly through YouTube. Her new fans even include the former secretary-general of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, who asked Gordon Brown about her after delivering a speech at the Adam Smith College in Kirkcaldy last week. Annan was overheard asking: &quot;So, tell me about Susan Boyle,&quot; with Brown responding: &quot;Well, it's absolutely amazing. This woman has come from nowhere and has become a celebrity all over the world.&quot;

Part of ITV's reluctance to agree a deal with YouTube could be because it wants to maintain the traffic to its own website. There is also speculation that it is trying to strike too hard a deal, using Boyle's unique position as a bargaining tool for a better share.

Another explanation could be ITV chief executive Michael Grade's public loathing of YouTube, which he has branded a &quot;parasite&quot; living off TV shows and content created by the commercial broadcaster. Grade's announcement last week that he was stepping down as chief executive may help to thaw relations.

YouTube claims that the majority of advertising revenue goes to the copyright owner. But its spokesman said: &quot;Content owners often have many different priorities. Some seek to generate advertising revenue, while others use the service to promote their offline TV shows or their own online services.&quot;

He added: &quot;We have an existing relationship with Fremantle Media and are delighted that they are launching this channel as a home for fans for the show outside the UK.&quot;

<span style="font-weight: bold"> bwoy dem fix har up fi real...decked out in Burberry di lass pickcha whe mi see...har hair been dyed too </span>

[UKBlackLady]

Re: ITV misses out as Susan Boyle conquers web

Am I absolutely the only person who didn't find Susan Boyle's voice exceptional...?

In my opinion she was ah'ite, but that was it.

All this hooplah is based on the fact that she didn't fit a stereotype looks wise.

For shame...

[j-kid]

Re: ‘Never been kissed’ singer, 47, wows Cowell

Well, I can ubderstand why. No one wants to say it, but she kina looks like Benny Hill in drag.

[mountaingal]

Re: ‘Never been kissed’ singer, 47, wows Cowell

actually, i think benny was prettier.

she has a good voice, but i do agree that it is the novelty of her looks that has probably made her get this far.