"America's Got Talent" is putting its auditions online and letting viewers pick their favorites, according to a Monday article from The Associated Press:

Performers can upload their audition videos through June 18 to the "America's Got Talent" site on YouTube, NBC and producer Fremantle Media North America announced Monday.
Producers will select 40 acts to be posted on the site. Then the YouTube community will vote for their favorites. The top vote-getter will perform on "America's Got Talent" alongside 11 other YouTube acts chosen by producers.
The online auditions will supplement in-person tryouts staged across the U.S. in a half-dozen cities.
The new season of “America’s Got Talent” premieres June 1.

For more details, you can check out www.youtube.com/americasgottalent or www.nbc.com/americas-got-talent.

I don't watch the show (and don't know the exact premise), but I think allowing people to try out online is a great idea. Talented performers are always looking for the YouTube spotlight by recording themselves in the comfort of their own home. Some of them are actually really talented (Kat Badar comes to mind). Moving auditions online is a great way to expand the field of potential contestants for those who wouldn't be able to attend tryouts in person.

Will you be trying out? Let us know so we can follow along and promote your video -- and, with hope, follow your journey into the spotlight.


--Cheryl Sadler
CSadler@News-Herald.com