There's no need to exaggerate, it doesn't hold "more authority than anything else" - or, if you really think so, where's the evidence ? Vague assertions like reality TV has demonstrated this are not very convincing. People respect the authority of various institutions to varying degrees. I'm pretty sure that if they were in a court of law they'd be even more deferential to authority.  The audience was not influential because it was a TV audience but just the fact that it was a large group and, as social beings, we are very prone to influence by all kinds of social groups, family, friends, neighbours, etc.

Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner - that I moved to Nice.