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American Idol adds real-time online voting

Idol offers real-time voting results via Google and Facebook, to get the jump on Rising Star.

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2014-01-29_0122The success of Israeli talent series Rising Star is causing pre-existing shows, such as American Idol, to move from SMS voting to real-time online voting.

Rising Star, which is yet to be picked up in Australia, features contestants being able to see their voting tally via video wall as they perform.

Deadline reports FOX has now partnered with Google and Facebook and is introducing real-time results — months before the premiere of Rising Star on ABC. Voting on Idol will commence at the beginning of the live shows as opposed to after the broadcast as it has done for 12 seasons.

Google will provide an online voting platform that allows viewers to cast votes directly from Google Search. Meanwhile, Facebook will give on-air voting progress updates based on real-time East Coast voting data during select live shows.

While one of Rising Star‘s biggest challenge has been incorporating time zones in the US, Idol is only including East Coast voting results/trends.

Idol now offers 5 voting methods for Season 13: 1) Google Search; 2) online at AmericanIdol.com; 3) American Idol App; 4) text messaging; and 5) toll-free calling.

Australian shows such as The Voice have allowed Facebook voting, but never in real time.

American Idol airs Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30pm on ELEVEN.

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  2. The biggest problem for live in-show voting in Australia (and America) is that a large portion of the country are in a different timezones, and see the show on delay.

    I can’t think of any reality / competition FTA shows that were shown live nationwide last year. (Big Brother was live everywhere except WA).

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