Are influencers poison for the TV landscape?
What a time it was when real stars went on (reality) TV shows to show viewers that they were just normal people! Many simply had money worries, outdid themselves in TV gems such as "Jungle Camp" and shared anecdotes from their lives around the campfire.
We were glued to our screens when Brigitte Nielsen talked about how Sylvester Stallone once had an undying crush on her! Or when Ingrid van Bergen talked about the night of November 2 to 3, 1977, when she shot her lover with a revolver! And why do so many jungle camp fans still remember the participation of the now deceased world star and "most beautiful man in the world" Helmut Berger, even though his tryst in Australia lasted less than three days? Maybe it's because these fallen, defunct stars all achieved something in their lives and had real talent.
But times are changing. Today, more and more influencers are breaking into the market that was once intended for those who could really do something. More and more production companies are working with influencers - certainly for strategic marketing reasons. Young people, it is believed, can be reached differently today. Large publishing houses, which now have their backs to the wall in economic terms, have ghostwriters write books for influencers because they hope they will bring the buyers with them.
"It's clear why they're there"
Influencers have embraced current zeitgeist topics such as female empowerment, body positivity and feminism and are selling overpriced products for their "soulmates" and "friends" on their social media channels. The ruble rolls. Hardly anyone questions it when the oh-so-popular influencers join the ranks of entrepreneurs and company founders and even "launch their own jewelry collections", which in reality are nothing more than dropshipping.
They grin at the camera and put their hand on their heart. All for money, power and influence. Anyone who criticizes this is either a "hater", "envious" or a person who "has no life". Influencers are penetrating all industries and are often courted because of their reach, which in many cases has been artificially created. Years ago, there was at least a medium-sized storm in the media when actress Veronica Ferres did not want to be photographed next to influencer Stefanie Giesinger on the red carpet. Media headlines questioned whether the then 21-year-old had only landed a role in a film by Detlev Buck because of her many followers. Actor Heino Ferch said at the Munich Film Festival at the time: "It's clear why she's in it. If she has two million followers (...)".
Casting influencers for shows, formats or film roles is, in the words of Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) from the film "Trainspotting", "a damn tightrope act". The dose makes the poison. But if you take a close look at the current media and TV landscape, everything really does look like an overdose.
Soon "Let's Dance" will start again. And what are we already reading these days? That reality TV actress Carina Spack, who once took part in the lousy bullying against Claudia Obert on "Promis unter Palmen", is dreaming of being on the popular family dance show. Anis Ferchichi, better known as rapper Bushido, is very clear about what he wants. He would like to be a contestant in the "Summer House of Stars" next year. A real (fallen) star would actually be there again.
"Like bodily harm to the soul"
One wonders whether this development can still be stopped. And whether there is any point in appealing to the makers of shows and formats not to subordinate all quality standards to ratings, which will collapse at the latest when viewers have had enough. Of course, one can also be of two minds about Bushido. However, his wife Anna-Maria Ferchichi recently said quite rightly that such TV scenes are: "like bodily harm to the soul" in reference to the subterranean behavior of Walentina Doronina, who was permanently ousted from the "Sommerhaus" flat share.
Actress Katerina Jacob goes one step further and says that influencers "take other people's jobs. (...) I have to deal with people who can't say a straight sentence," said the 65-year-old in an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur. She continued: "They mumble to themselves, but have a self-confidence that makes me think: Wow, brilliant."
In her opinion, even a TV classic like "Das Traumschiff" would be "run into the ground." It is well known that the ship has been listing for some time. But hoping for a boost by giving influencers roles is not particularly clever. "Traumschiff" creator Wolfgang Rademann is "spinning in his grave without end", says Jacob. "It used to be the crème de la crème of German acting. Now it's influencers, presenters and models. Just because they want to make ratings. And it doesn't achieve anything. It brings zero."
Jacob is not alone in thinking that "reality stars" are often particularly admired on the red carpet. However, the fact that they get into all formats without ability or talent is down to the "producers who allow it".
If this development continues to expand with so little scrutiny, it will certainly not be long before the first influencer runs for a seat in the Bundestag. On the other hand, many social media personalities can easily generate more voters with one post than most established politicians.
In the current social media landscape, many production companies collaborate with influencers not just for strategic marketing reasons, but also to reach a younger audience. Consequently, reality TV shows are now filled with influencers, with some of them even launching their own product lines on social networks.
Social networks have become a significant platform for influencers to promote their overpriced products, often tying them to popular social issues like female empowerment and body positivity. This has led to a blurring of lines between entertainment and advertising, leaving many questioning the authenticity of influencer marketing.
Source: www.ntv.de
