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Julie Litzenberger, Sage Communications (for Pursuant): 703-584-5634

SIMON SAYS: SURVEY INDICATES AMERICAN IDOL VOTERS VALUE HIS TOUGH LOVE

Wildly popular show has garnered votes from one in 10 of entire United States adult population during the 2006 season, according to the study.

Washington, DC – May 2, 2006 – More than half of adult voters for the Fox Broadcasting Company’s American Idol program value judge Simon Cowell’s opinion over that of the other judges in the 2006 season, according to a study released today by Pursuant, Inc. of Washington, DC. The study found that 58 percent of voters respect Simon Cowell’s opinion the most. This is more than twice that of the 26 percent who value Randy Jackson’s opinion and nine times more than the 6 percent who value Paula Abdul’s. According to the study, one in 10 of the entire United States adult population has voted for a contestant on the show in 2006.
 
"The American Idol phenomenon is representative of the American Dream – reality television's ‘Cinderella Story,’” said Dr. Lori Baker-Sperry, renowned expert on popular culture and assistant professor at Western Illinois University.  “It is not surprising that Cowell’s opinion is the most respected, as he is symbolic of the cut-throat underside to the fairy tale."

Other characteristics of American Idol voters found in the study include:

• Thirty-five percent of all respondents believe that their votes on American Idol count as much as or more so than voting in a U.S. Presidential election

• American Idol viewers are more likely to be from the South (39 percent) versus viewers from the Northeast (21 percent), North Central (21 percent) or from the West (19 percent)

• Almost three-fourths of American Idol voters are women (73 percent)

• When asked the top three reasons adults voted for a contestant, “contestant has a great voice” and “contestant has star quality/potentially successful” made up over three-fourths (76 percent) of respondents’ replies; nineteen percent of respondents answered that they “liked a specific contestant/wanted him or her to win”

“The data show that voters are acting as judges in their homes rationally evaluating talent and star quality rather than looks and perceived popularity,” said Melissa Marcello, president of Pursuant, Inc. “They’ve constructed some sort of reality that they are the producer helping to discover the next Kelly Clarkson. My hunch is they feel they have a stake in creating a potential Grammy winner or double platinum record. As former Idols demonstrate their commercial viability, America shares in the reward and responsibility.”

Fox’s American Idol is a reality show in search of talented singers from all over the United States. The show airs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and has been nominated for fourteen Emmy awards since its inception.

Data for the Pursuant, Inc. study was collected by Opinion Research Corporation from April 21 -24, 2006. Telephone interviews were conducted among a randomly selected national sample of 1, 045 adults comprised of 515 men and 530 women 18 years of age and older.  The margin of error for the entire sample is +/- 3% and larger for subgroups.  View the full report at www.pursuantresearch.com

About Pursuant, Inc.

Pursuant, Inc. is a full-service public opinion research firm that provides qualitative and quantitative research-based solutions.  Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Pursuant was founded on the belief that precise research solves complex problems and provides significant insight into what motivates preferences and behaviors.  Focused on the consumer, healthcare, pharmaceutical and non-profit sectors, Pursuant's client roster includes the American Dietetic Association Foundation, Amgen, Dairy Management, Inc., Kaiser Permanente, and the National Institutes of Health, to name a few.  In October of 2004, Pursuant was awarded a GSA contract to provide focus groups, telephone and Internet surveys to U.S. federal agencies.  For additional information, please visit:www.pursuantresearch.com.