Voice of Choice

A competition of this type is a first for South African radio. Radio is a perfect medium for this competition, it is accessible to a wide audience reaching remote rural areas and is a traditional forum for music, providing synergy for a competition which celebrates musical talent. Participating stations include 11 of the SABC's most popular PBS stations; Ligwalala FM, Motsweding FM, Munghana Lonene, Lesedi FM, Umhlobo Wenene, Izwekwezi FM, Ukhozi FM, Phalaphala, Thobela FM, RSG and CKI, utilising SABC radio stations with the biggest audiences.
 
The choice of stations removes language and geographical barriers, and all participants need to do to audition is make a four minute telephone call. The competition will be aired during a special timeslot from 1pm – 2pm on Saturdays (17 April to 14 August). Blocking the same timeslot on all participating stations is another SABC first and according to AMPS 2003A, will reach a combined Saturday audience of over 5.1 million listeners.
 
Listeners are invited to audition by phoning an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) line. The participant will be required to register and sing any one of 14 pre-selected songs. Specially developed 'pitch-tracking' software has been installed to determine any false or off-key entries, and a select panel of music professionals will be responsible for sorting through the remaining entries and determining the top contestants. The top 20 participants per station will compete over a five-week period.

Listeners will be able to vote, via the IVR line, for their top 10 choices per station. The total 110 selected entrants will then be sent to Johannesburg and undergo voice training, industry workshops and media interviews. The SABC and Indigi Productions will have professional recordings of the finalists sent to the participating stations to be played over a two-week period. Listeners' IVR votes, as well as input from the judging panel, will determine the most popular entrants. A winner per station will be chosen who will go onto compete for the title of Voice of Choice. The overall winner will also be chosen from listeners' IVR votes, as well as those from a celebrity judging panel.
 
Mazda have donated a new Mazda for each of the station winners as well as the National winner. The Voice of Choice will also receive a recording contract with Indigi Music.