In 2007, Abu Dhabi TV began airing Million's Poet, a show featuring Pop Idol-style voting and elimination, but for the writing and oration of Arabic poetry. The show became popular in Arab countries, with around 18 million viewers,Winner's tribe put the millions in Million's Poet , James Calderwood, The National, April 19, 2010 partly because it was able to combine the excitement of reality television with a traditional, culturally relevant topic.Move over American Idol: Hissa Hilal in finals of Arab reality TV poetry contest , Kristen Chick, Christian Science Monitor, April 7, 2010 In April 2010, however, the show also became a subject of political controversy, when Hissa Hilal, a 43-year-old female Saudi competitor, read out a poem criticizing her country's Muslim clerics.Hassan, Hassan (March 19, 2010). "Million's Poet finalist defies death threats" . The National Both critics and the public reacted favorably to Hilal's poetry; she received the highest scores from the judges throughout the competition and came in third place overall.
In 2007, Abu Dhabi TV began airing Million's Poet, a show featuring Pop Idol-style voting and elimination, but for the writing and oration of Arabic poetry. The show became popular in Arab countries, with around 18 million viewers,Winner's tribe put the millions in Million's Poet , James Calderwood, T?he National, April 19, 2010 partly because it was able to combine the excitement of reality television with a traditional, culturally relevant topic.Move over American Idol: Hissa Hilal in finals of Arab reality TV poetry co,ntest , Kristen Chick, Christian Science Monitor, April 7, 2010 In April 2010, however, the show also became a subject of political controversy, when Hissa Hilal, a 43-year-old female Saudi competitor, read out a poem criticizing her country's Muslim clerics.Hassan, Hassan (March 19, 2010). "Million',s Poet finalist defies death threats" . The National Both critics and the public reacted favorably to Hilal's poetry; she received the highest scores from the judges t?hroughout the competition and came in third place overall.