This weekend, I’m offering FOX and 19 Entertainment 10 tips on how to save American Idol as ratings plummet and Simon Cowell prepares to leave the show.
Here’s the best news, FOX. I’m offering up all the suggestions for free.
Tip 6: Fix the voting
By fix, I don’t mean rig.
I mean fix it so that a viewer doesn’t feel obligated to hang on the phone calling or texting for two hours straight to make a difference.
It’s nice that Ryan Seacrest can brag about Idol logging 47 million votes last week. But I’d bet those votes are coming from fewer and fewer viewers.
This is 2010. Isn’t there a way to limit viewers to one vote per phone number?
If not, go to computer voting and limit viewers to one vote per IP address.
That can certainly be done. AmericanIdol.com just did it with their 
online survey. I completed it once, then went back to check the questions a second time so I could blog about what was being asked.
I had to switch computers. The site would only allow one response per computer.
I’ve watched Idol since season one. I used to vote. I stopped years ago.
Hey, I don’t have two hours to spend dialing a phone after an Idol episode. I doubt most adults who watch the show do.
On the other hand, there are those texting tween fiends.
Which might explain the lopsided results from the past three seasons.
Check it out, Dawg.
Of the top 12 finalists from the past seasons seven, eight and nine, only three have been females.
Cute guys?
Oh, yeah, we’ve had plenty of them.
Clearly, something needs to be done to restore balance to the show.
Otherwise, the next Kelly Clarkson is going to lose to Justin Guarini.
If she survives to make it to the finale.
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