By Doug Gross, CNN
February 24, 2011 10:30 a.m. EST | Filed under: Social Media
"American Idol" executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, left, has said the show will add online voting.
(CNN) -- Facebook users might become the power brokers in who becomes the next Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood.
Multiple reports are saying that voting for "American Idol," Fox's massively popular TV singing contest, will be coming to the social media giant.
Entertainment Weekly, quoting unnamed sources, reported Wednesday that users will soon be able to use their Facebook account to access a dedicated "Idol" voting page.
People will still be able to vote for their favorite singers via text message or voice call, EW said.
According to the reports, people would be able to vote 50 times from each Facebook accounts. That could be a major shift in how results are tallied. As Jackie Cohen at the All Facebook blog notes, even the most avid "Idol" fans probably aren't texting in 50 votes.
"Adding Facebook voting would likely foster more participation in the voting. It certainly makes sense for 'American Idol' to limit each viewer to a maximum of 50 votes per show, but that could be more voting than most fans can achieve via telephone," Cohen wrote.
The Facebook report makes sense. Earlier this week, executive producer Nigel Lythgoe told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Rodney Ho that online voting will be added this season.
While a publicist later said that online voting hasn't been confirmed, Lythgoe's exact quote was an unequivocal "We are going to introduce online voting," according to the AJC.
EW said the Facebook voting could be introduced on next Tuesday's episode.
Tech-news blog Mashable (a CNN partner) notes that viewers last season could use a Facebook app, "Idol Fanatic," to call in votes. The app used the Ribbit online telephone service, but has apparently now been shut down.
According to leaks reported by People magazine, "X Factor," the upcoming talent show to be hosted by former "Idol" judge Simon Cowell, also plans to introduce Facebook voting.
Credit: CNN (www.cnn.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment