For the first time, fans of American Idol will be able to vote for their favorite contestants
online, provided they have a Facebook account.
Online voting at americanidol.com will begin immediately
following the first performance show on Mar. 1. Viewers with a Facebook account
in the U.S., Puerto Rico or U.S. Virgin Islands can cast up to 50 online votes
per evening.
"We have been wanting to do online voting for several years,
and now Facebook has offered us a secure solution and we are ready to go," said
Simon Fuller, creator and executive producer of American Idol. "The show has always involved a high level of
engagement with its viewers through texting and phone voting, and it's great to
expand on this tradition."
Fans will still be able to vote via toll-free phone lines,
and by text message for AT&T wireless customers.
