Get All Access for $5/mo

Crowdsourcing's New Platform: Prime-Time Reality TV CNBC announces a new television show called 'Crowd Rules' where business owners compete for $50,000. The money is awarded based on an audience vote.

By Catherine Clifford

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Shutterstock

The red-hot industry of crowdsourcing is spreading its tentacles, this time into reality TV.

CNBC is launching a prime-time television series based on the idea of making decisions by soliciting opinions from a large group of people. The show will premiere on Tuesday, May 14, the Englewood Cliffs, N.J.-based cable television station announced today.

Related: Want to Harness the Power of the Crowd? Consider These Tips

Called Crowd Rules, the new show will air at 9 p.m. EST. Small-business contestants will have an opportunity to compete for a $50,000 prize. In what is being dubbed a "reality competition series," a 97-member studio audience will vote on who gets to take home the prize money each week.

Entrepreneur jewelry designer Kendra Scott, local television anchor Pat Kiernan, and one other rotating, industry specialist will ask the featured small-business owners questions so that the audience crowd can learn about the individuals and their ventures.

Related: Crowdopolis: Crowdsource Like the Big Guys

Each episode will have a theme. For example, the season premier will involve three small specialty food businesses: Teaneck, N.J.-based pickle company Pickle Licious, Key Port, N.J.-based ice-cream company Mr. Green Tea, and Wyckoff, N.J.-based spicy-food themed Heartbreaking Dawns. The token expert for the first episode will be Elizabeth Chambers, a correspondent for E! News and founder of the sweets shop Bird Bakery in San Antonio, Texas.

Crowd Rules is not the first time producers have turned to the excitement and energy of entrepreneurs seeking funding to make reality television. It follows on the heels of ABC's reality television show, Shark Tank, which features entrepreneurs pitching their ideas to a panel of wealthy investors, known as "the sharks."

Related: 3 Ways to Amplify Small-Business Marketing with Crowdsourcing

Would you consider putting yourself and your business on the national stage in a reality TV show? Leave a note below and let us know.

Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Side Hustle He Started in His College Apartment Turned Into a $70,000-a-Month Income Stream — Then Earned Nearly $2 Million Last Year

Kyle Morrand and his college roommates loved playing retro video games — and the pastime would help launch his career.

Science & Technology

Why We Shouldn't Fear AI in Education (and How to Use It Effectively)

Facing resistance to new technologies in the educational process is nothing new, and AI is no exception. Yet, this powerful tool is set to overcome these challenges and revolutionize education, preparing students and professionals for a future of unparalleled efficiency and personalized learning.

Business News

Apple's AI Has a Catch — And It Could Help Boost Sales

Not every iPhone owner will get to use the new Apple Intelligence.

Business News

Elon Musk Threatens to Ban Employees from Using Apple Products, Says Will Lock Devices in 'Cages'

The Tesla founder sounded off on X following Apple's 2024 Worldwide Developer Conference on Monday.

Business News

Y Combinator Helped Launch Reddit, Airbnb and Dropbox. Here's What I Learned From Its Free Startup School.

The famed startup accelerator offers a free course on building a business — and answers five pressing questions for founders.

Business Culture

You'll Always Have Anxious Employees if You Don't Follow These 4 Leadership Tactics

Creating a thriving workplace environment hinges on the commitment of company leaders to nurture and inspire their teams.