Phone snags thwart 'Idol' voters
Many would-be "American Idol" voters are disenfranchised by overburdened phone lines and by "power dialers" who hog the system, the magazine Broadcasting & Cable reported.
According to the magazine's issue being released Monday, "the only people choosing the next 'American Idol" are the ones lucky enough to get through -- or skilled enough to get around -- tremendously overtaxed phone lines."
Fox TV, which airs the talent contest, has failed to address the difficulties viewers must overcome to log votes, the magazine said.
The show is a ratings winner and valuable property for its producers and Fox, but Broadcasting & Cable said the network is alienating viewers who repeatedly get a busy signal when they try to call in their votes.
The voting system has been called into question in recent weeks as contestants who appeared to be front-runners were dumped in favor of others who many viewers have complained were lesser performers. Last week, favorite La Toya London was voted off while Jasmine Trias survived a shaky performance.
Fox said both it and the show's producers have "gone to great lengths" to ensure the integrity of the voting process.
