Wannabe gospel singers get another chance to Shine as ONE Gospel launches a second season of its reality talent show.

Exactly a year after its first season, ONE Gospel (DStv 331) is embarking on a second season of its Shine gospel singer talent search competition which will start on the Christian music TV channel on 4 September at 18:00.

The first season Shine presenters Zanele Mbokazi and Lionel Petersen have been replaced by a single presenter for the second season of Shine in the form of Fezile Makhanya with auditions that will start on 4 August - a month before the broadcast starts.

Like last year Shine is again forcing contestants to pay to enter the second season - a practice that's widely frowned-upon within the TV industry. Contestants entering a TV show, especially a reality show, shouldn't be paying for the opportunity.

Contestants will have to pay R2 to SMS the word ''Shine'' to 34627 with their names and contact details and the city they want to audition in, and will then get an SMS back.

Shine's second season audition dates are:
4 - 6 August (Mamelodi – Pretoria)
10 - 13 August (Soweto)
18 - 20 August (Umlazi - Durban)
25 - 26 August (Tygerberg Radio - Cape Town)

The judges will choose two finalists from each region (8 in total) who will travel to the ONE Gospel studios in Johannesburg to compete further.

BREAKING. How is this for striking a false note! Why, sadly, ONE Gospel is losing its Shine before it's even started.

You're reading it here first.

Talk about a false note! Pathetic, sad and completely inappropriate is the exploitative ONE Gospel (DStv 331) entry process for its upcoming new Shine gospel-star-seeking reality show, forcing would-be entrants to not only PAY to enter . . . but pay TWICE!

Last month I told you RIGHT HERE about ONE GOSPEL's first attempt at a local reality show. Since then TV with Thinus readers begged for more information - especially more specific venue and time details since ONE GOSPEL only released dates and cities. First off, there's no problem with having  media partner(s) for your TV show once its being broadcast, but its morally reprehensible to have contestants for your show having to pay to get the basic entry information for that show. That is exactly what ONE GOSPEL has gone and done, putting a serious dent in its halo. Interested contestants first have to buy one of two specific newspapers who are media partners, to get hold of a printed SMS number. Then contestants have to pay again by sending an SMS to register for Shine. ''Everyone who would like to enter need to register,'' ONE Gospel tells me. Thus, unlike how reality TV shows in South Africa usually works, you can't just show up or enter without first paying. TWICE.

The initial entry information for people entering TV talent competitions should be made freely available and the Christian oriented ONE Gospel is hitting a big time falsetto in this case. Keep in mind that whatever the TV show is, they make their money when the show is eventually broadcast. Why do you want contestants to first support your media partners and then pay to register? Ludicrous. Not Idols, Big Brother Africa, Popstars, Survivor SA, SA's Got Talent or any of the other current South African reality shows are doing that. It's fine to get viewers watching the show to interact later and then make them pay for the on-screen entertainment, but that a whole other matter.)

To add insult to injury by making contestants fork out money to become part of a reality show such as ONE Gospel's Shine, you then trot the selected ones out like show ponies during the broadcast. Its really not what should be happening. Actors and on-air talent don't pay (TWICE!) to be on TV shows, in adverts or in movies and neither should reality TV contestants. ONE Gospel and production house Urban Brew should really know better and do better if they really want to . . . shine.

UPDATE (Tuesday 17 Aug 16:00): ONE Gospel tells me that ''the entry mechanism was developed to manage the number of people who enter the competition''. The channel says that contestants who want to enter can email shine@onegospel.com ''or watch the channel''.

O HALLELU! Gospel singers get the chance to Shine in ONE Gospel's new reality talent show.

ONE Gospel (DStv 331) is getting into the reality talent seach craze with the channel's own reality show called Shine.

Shine will be hosted by TV presenter Zanele Mbokazi and gospel musician Lionel Petersen and will be looking for South Africa's next great gospel music act. According to ONE Gospel, ''performers who have dreamt of sharing the stage with phenomenal and successful musicians like Rebecca Malope and Joyous Celebration, now have the opportunity to showcase their talent. Soloists, bands, choirs or instrumentals all qualify to enter the competition.'' The auditions will start in Mamelodi, Pretoria on August 5, then move to Soweto, Polokwane, Durban, Nelspruit and end in Cape Town in September.

The judges will choose two finalists from each region (12 in total) who will travel to the ONE Gospel studios in Johannesburg to compete further. Every Sunday, performers will need to impress the judges and three finalists will be eliminated at the end of each episode. In the final episode the judges and the studio audience will vote for the overall winner. Besides a recording contract from SouthStone Records the Shine winner will also sing at ONE Gospel's first concert in December.

The first episode of Shine will go out on Sunday August 8 at 17:00 on ONE Gospel. Here's the specific audition dates and cities: 5 & 6 Aug: Mamelodi, Pretoria; 12 & 13 Aug: Soweto, Johannesburg; 19 & 20 Aug: Lakazi, Nelspruit; 26 & 27 Aug: Seshego, Polokwane; 2 & 3 Sep: Khayelitsha, Cape Town and 9 & 10 Sep: Umlazi, Durban. For the audition you need to take your ID book along and prepare a gospel sing.