Million's Poet
Encyclopedia
Million's Poet is a reality television
show on the United Arab Emirates
television network Abu Dhabi TV
and the The Million's Poet Channel. The show is a competition for the most talented poet in Arabic poetry
with prizes for the top 5 poets ranging from AED
1 to 5 million (USD $272,294 to $1,361,470). The show is taped at the Al Raha Beach Theatre. The show, which has been compared to American Idol
, is very popular in the Middle East; in its first season, its ratings overtook those of the UAE's national sport, soccer, and led to the show being called one of the most successful Arab television shows ever. The show is funded by the Abu Dhabi Authority of Culture and Heritage in order to revive the poetry of Nabati, Mwal, Shalla and Qalta. Competitors are judged both by the quality of their poetry and by their recitation.
In 2010 Hissa Hilal was the show's first female finalist, reciting a controversial poem about "ad hoc fatwas". The series was won by Kuwaiti amateur poet Nasser al Ajami.
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show on the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
television network Abu Dhabi TV
Abu Dhabi TV
Abu Dhabi Al Oula is an Arabic television station that originally launched in 1969 but was re-launched in 2000 and again in 2008. It broadcasts from Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates and is owned by Abu Dhabi Media Company...
and the The Million's Poet Channel. The show is a competition for the most talented poet in Arabic poetry
Arabic poetry
Arabic poetry is the earliest form of Arabic literature. Present knowledge of poetry in Arabic dates from the 6th century, but oral poetry is believed to predate that. Arabic poetry is categorized into two main types, rhymed, or measured, and prose, with the former greatly preceding the latter...
with prizes for the top 5 poets ranging from AED
United Arab Emirates dirham
The dirham is the currency of the United Arab Emirates. The ISO 4217 code for the United Arab Emirates dirham is AED. Unofficial abbreviations include DH or Dhs. The dirham is subdivided into 100 ....
1 to 5 million (USD $272,294 to $1,361,470). The show is taped at the Al Raha Beach Theatre. The show, which has been compared to American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
, is very popular in the Middle East; in its first season, its ratings overtook those of the UAE's national sport, soccer, and led to the show being called one of the most successful Arab television shows ever. The show is funded by the Abu Dhabi Authority of Culture and Heritage in order to revive the poetry of Nabati, Mwal, Shalla and Qalta. Competitors are judged both by the quality of their poetry and by their recitation.
In 2010 Hissa Hilal was the show's first female finalist, reciting a controversial poem about "ad hoc fatwas". The series was won by Kuwaiti amateur poet Nasser al Ajami.