How does the show enforce its voting time window?
After Ryan Seacrest announces that viewers have two hours (or whatever) to vote following the conclusion of a performance episode, that voting is restricted by time zone, based upon your phone’s area code. You can vote only during the voting window that follows the broadcast in your time zone. Thus, someone in California can’t vote following the East Coast broadcast — unless they have a cell phone with an East Coast area code. Likewise, someone living in Florida who has a cell phone with a Seattle area code can’t vote after the East Coast broadcast; they’d have to wait for the West Coast broadcast to conclude.
Slideshow: ‘American Idol’s’ finalists A: After Ryan Seacrest announces that viewers have two hours (or whatever) to vote following the conclusion of a performance episode, that voting is restricted by time zone , based upon your phone’s area code. You can vote only during the voting window that follows the broadcast in your time zone. Thus, someone in California can’t vote following the East Coast broadcast — unless they have a cell phone with an East Coast area code.
