Next up on “American Idol”: Your Facebook profile picture.
It’s hard to get on “American Idol.” Aside from waiting for hours among throngs of hopefuls, you have to perform in front of celebrity judges, and you only get a short window to prove your worth. The chances of getting all the way to primetime are minuscule. So for “American Idol” fans with dreams of making it onto the show, Facebook may be a more attainable way to see your face on the small screen, even if you bombed your audition (or never went at all.)
The social network already facilitates voting for the long-running reality singing competition, but for the 13th season, users who vote through Facebook may see their profile pictures appear on screen. “American Idol” will broadcast a sample of Facebook user profiles during the telecast, showing who they cast a ballot for, and their names.
In addition to the Facebook partnership, “American Idol” is also teaming up with Google this season to provide a new way to vote: People who use the search engine to find out more information about the program will be able to cast their votes directly from Google.
“Now more than ever, we’ve got these incredible technology platforms that can be used in real-time to not only reflect what’s happening on the show, but to create a two-way dialog between the viewers and the show itself,” Bill Bradford, senior vice president of digital for Fox Broadcasting, told the Los Angeles Times.
