Deutschlands Beste presents the winners of a competition in which fifty men and fifty women who – at home, not on the air – answer three sets of questions as to who is “the best.” The rules are complicated. The evaluation is done with the help of outside polling experts.
A journalist publicly raised questions about the integrity of the selection process. After four hectic days of internal investigations, the management had to concede that the producers had manipulated the process by the way in which guests were chosen to appear on the program.
Management apologized for the breach of the company’s guidelines.
Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung, July 11
Eric Koch’s new book, New Beginnings, was launched on September 20. The book is available from 
Could it happen here, too?
http://www.cbc.ca/smartestperson/
Such stories are tantalizing. “Manipulation” doesn’t cut it. How was it done? That is the question. Who benefitted? That’s another. Why? is a third. Without even a try at answering these questions and others - what is the point of the story? We know that we live in a manipulative age after all the others.
Part of the answer to your pertinent questions is that the producers favoured the guests invited to the live show because to see them win was good television and - this was one of the explanations, probably tongue-in-cheek - to reward them for the trouble they took to come to the studio. The point? Shobiz (sometimes) trumps Truth.