Million's Poet

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. 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 poem strongly criticizing "ad hoc fatwas". The series was won by Kuwaiti amateur poet Nasser al Ajami.