American X Factor to allow voting by Twitter

October 26, 2011

{jcomments off}The American version of the X Factor is set to allow viewers to vote via Twitter.

Press Release:

Syco Television, FremantleMedia and FOX announced a partnership with Twitter to allow fans – for the first time in television – to cast votes for their favorite finalists on The X Factor via Twitter; and fans also can vote via mobile App with Verizon Touch Voting on The Xtra Factor App. Verizon, the show’s official voting sponsor, and The X Factor will offer viewers five ways to vote, including: 1) Twitter; 2) Verizon Touch Voting onThe Xtra Factor App on Verizon Android devices; 3) toll-free calling; 4) text messaging for Verizon Wireless customers; and 5) online atTheXFactorUSA.com. Fans with valid Facebook accounts can also vote at Facebook.com/TheXFactorUSA, giving The X Factor unprecedented online reach. All five methods of voting are managed by Telescope, Inc., an independent vote management company.

After the finalists perform LIVE on Wednesday, Nov. 2 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed), voting will open for the first time. The first voting results will be revealed on the LIVE results show Thursday, Nov. 3 (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. Fans can vote via Twitter using the instructions and prompt at twitter.thexfactorusa.com. Once fans sign up for Twitter, they must then follow @TheXFactorUSA and cast their votes via Direct Message. Direct Messaging is a private way to communicate on Twitter. Votes will not be publicly visible. Tweets will not count as votes. In addition to this groundbreaking voting method, Twitter will remain a part of The X Factor throughout the season through elements such as judge Tweets and finalist handles. Periodically, viewers at home also will be able to see real-time Twitter data on-air through graphics powered by Mass Relevance. And, viewers can Tweet from within The Xtra Factor App.

“I think it’s fantastic that Verizon and The X Factor are giving fans so many different ways to vote. Launching touch screen voting on Verizon’sThe Xtra Factor App and the new voting on Twitter is really exciting, I love that the audience has more and more choice in the way that they can vote,” – Simon Cowell.

“Verizon’s technology offers our customers multiple options for voting for their X FACTOR favorites. We are especially excited to provide Verizon Touch Voting to fans with the App on their Android devices. Smartphone customers can vote by simply touching the image of their favorite finalist within The Xtra Factor App.” – John Harrobin, Vice President, Marketing at Verizon Wireless

“The X Factor has raised the bar for innovative television with its use of Twitter to create a 360-degree experience around the show’s judges, finalists and viewers. Fans flock to Twitter during live television events and have been voicing their opinions with Tweets for years. We’re thrilled to see the creators of The X Factor push the envelope further by being the first television show to formalize this phenomenon through Twitter voting.” – Chloe Sladden, Director of Content and Programming at Twitter.

“The X Factor is dedicated to providing its fans with groundbreaking and innovative digital and social programs. This first-of-its-kind partnership between Twitter and The X Factor enables fans to interact with and influence the show in a new and viral manner that will elevate the social conversation around the show, fostering a deeper, personal connection with the brand.” – David Luner, Executive Vice President, Consumer Products and Interactive at FremantleMedia Enterprises

Verizon Wireless customers with compatible Android devices can get The Xtra Factor App by calling **XF. Then customers vote using Verizon Touch Voting by touching the image of their favorite finalist in the App during voting, directly following the live performance shows. The Xtra FactorApp immerses customers in The X Factor experience on their wireless devices with Verizon Live View, which offers exclusive, live, behind-the-scenes streaming video during the performance shows. Viewers can also experience the pre-performance backstage frenzy and post-performance emotional reactions of the finalists with live video on their phones, while at the same time watching the live shows on television.

The X Factor viewers who are Verizon Wireless customers may also use text messaging to vote by texting the word “VOTE” to the four-digit short codes (9301, 9302, etc.) for the finalist(s) of their choice each week. Like toll-free voting, text message voting will open following each regional broadcast of the performance shows and America can vote for their favorite finalist(s) for at least two hours, subject to time zone restrictions. All Verizon smartphones require a data package. Message and data charges apply to the download and use of The Xtra Factor App.

Fans who would like to vote online should visit TheXFactorUSA.com and click the “vote” icon. They will be directed to a Facebook login page where they will need to enter their email address and password before being able to cast their vote(s). Fans will also be asked to type in a security word during login. Once they have successfully logged in, the photos and names of the current The X Factor finalists will appear. After fans select their favorite finalist and cast their vote, they will receive confirmation and will be given the option to share who they voted for with their Facebook friends.

Both online voting at TheXFactorUSA.com and Twitter voting are limited to 50 votes per Account user ID. Voting opens at the end of the East/Central broadcast of the performance shows and closes two hours after the Hawaii broadcast. For toll-free voting via phone, lines will open directly following each regional broadcast of the performance shows and America can vote for their favorite finalist(s) via toll-free telephone lines for at least two hours, subject to time zone restrictions. Each week, viewers can call one of the designated telephone numbers – each one corresponding to one of the finalists – to cast their vote. The numbers are 1-855-THE-XF-01 (-02, -03, -04, -05, -06, -07, -08, etc). The results will be revealed during the weekly LIVE broadcasts on Thursdays (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed).

Visit TheXFactorUSA.com for up-to-the-minute news, videos and information. Become a fan of The X Factor on Facebook atFacebook.com/TheXFactorUSA, follow the series on Twitter @TheXFactorUSA and join the discussion at #XFactor. The X Factor was created by Syco Television and is produced by Syco Television and FremantleMedia North America. Rob Wade and Siobhan Greene are executive producers for Syco Television. Cecile Frot-Coutaz, Richard Holloway and Andrew Llinares serve as executive producers for FremantleMedia North America.