is reporting that
American Idol's
Kris Allen may have had a little
help from AT&T, one of the Fox show's biggest corporate sponsors, in winning
this year.
According to the Times, AT&T provided phones for free text-messaging
services at two Allen parties in Arkansas on the night of the finals. Citing
sources, The Times reports that AT&T reps showed party-goers how to
"power text" -- cast 10 votes at the touch of a button -- which violates show
rules.
Power texts, according to the Times, "have an exponentially greater
effect on voting than do single text messages or calls to the shows toll-free
phone lines."
No similar efforts appear to have been made to provide free texting services to
Adam Lambert
fans.