What does power texting have to do with the results of “American Idol” this year?
A telephone service scandal threatens to sink the enormously popular American Idol series. The accusing finger is pointed directly at American corporate giant AT&T, one of the biggest sponsors of the show. Critics charge the firm supplied phones for free text-messaging and gave lessons on how to cast blocks of votes to Idol fans in Arkansas. The results may have skewed the votes to back Arkansas singer Kris Allen, who beat Adam Lambert in the American Idol finals. Idol voters must vote via text message, and they must use the AT&T network. Representatives of the corporation provided the free text-messaging services to fans at two Arkansas parties, sources told The New York Times. No such services were reported to have been provided to Lambert backers. Lambert fans are outraged. They have been venting their wrath online on chatboards and on Twitter. When asked to comment on the brewing scandal, Fox Broadcasting representatives stayed mum. An AT&T representative released the following sta
The New York Times reports that AT&T may have influenced the outcome of American Idol by providing free text-messaging services at parties organized by fans of Kris Allen, who won the competition last week. Representatives of AT&T, a corporate sponsor of the show, reportedly taught Allen fans how to “power text” at the parties, allowing them to send multiple messages with a push of a button. Questions remain as to whether power texting violates American Idol voting rules. One fan wrote: Adam has been given every advantage under the sun…from getting the lions’ share of the judges’ praise, getting the pimp spot more often than any other contestant, EW cover stories, Simon’s urgent plea for votes for Adam during the finale, finale results show staged to showcase Adam , the care that was lavished on Adam’s single and sleeve (compared to the slap-dash effort that Kris’ single and sleeve received). And now his fans cry fowl? This is truly funny. The fact is, Adam is a dinosaur, a throwback
The New York Times reports that AT&T may have influenced the outcome of American Idol by providing free text-messaging services at parties organized by fans of Kris Allen, who won the competition last week. Representatives of AT&T, a corporate sponsor of the show, reportedly taught Allen fans how to “power text” at the parties, allowing them to send multiple messages with a push of a button. Questions remain as to whether power texting violates American Idol voting rules. Sources: http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/05/american-idol-v.
