Textgate: Is 'American Idol' voting fake?

They're calling it "textgate", and it's the biggest voting scandal to hit America since hanging chads and a protracted legal battle turned George W Bush into the nation's 43rd President.

Kris Allen, the latest winner of American Idol, was this week exposed as the unwitting beneficiary of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of illegal block votes cast at the behest of one of the talent show's high-spending corporate sponsors. AT&T, Idol's official "communications partner", admitted providing free mobile phones and texting services to fans of Allen, a singer, guitar player and pianist, at parties organised in his home town of Jacksonville, Arkansas, on the night of the programme's final episode. More...

See also:

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2. Man in India kills his father for not voting for his favourite movie star's political party!!! 
3. In Thailand, they buy votes ... with Viagra!!!
4. Eurovision: is it talent that matters or biased voting?