Is he a master at what he does or does X Factor give him a prime time marketing platform to push his favourite mediocre acts.

Louis Tomlinson
Olly Murs
Honey G

X Factor is surviving on it's brand and nostalgia. If they released it as a new show this year it wouldn't have a hope in hell of getting a second series.

i would say cowell's strength, and i mean that in the loosest sense of the word, is knowing how to market tat so people want to buy it rather than anything to do with finding talent

How very dare you. Mr Cowell knows all about talent. He has signed Honey G. I rest my case.

I think Cowell basically looks for whatever he knows will bring in the £££s/$$$s in truckful loads. I mean, there are beautiful singers out there that would be mesmerising, but would they bring in £££s/$$$s on the same scale as someone/a group that's aimed at a young female audience? I'm not so sure.

Good for her. I hope she makes a load of money in the future. Not for me at all, but I wish her good luck for the future though.

He sometimes gets some good advice from those who do know.

What Simon Cowell is good at is taking something that exists in the market, but making it accessible to the masses. He doesn't need to be the first at something. He can be the second, but make it palatable for mass appeal.

Everyone he signs can be described in terms of existing artists and genres. If you truly have something new and unique, he won't know what to do with you.

For someone who has had so much success I found his comments and critique of the contestants lazy, poor, boring and ill informed. I much preferred Gary Barlow who was able to provide well informed constructive feedback being an artist himself. Maybe Cowell is targeting Daily Star and celebrity gossip magazine readers with his comments.