todd55devoe's blog: "american idol"

Filed under: Television, Competitive strategy, XM Satellite Radio (XMSR), Columns, News Corp'B' (NWS), Silver Wheaton (SLW)

At least one "American Idol" fan is mad as hell at Howard Stern for promoting Vote for the Worst's campaign for the hapless Sanjaya Malakar and can't take it anymore.

A person or persons has created a rather cheap-looking Web site STICKITTOSTERN to take on the King of All Media that calls on Idol viewers to lobby members of Congress to vote against the pending Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) acquisition of XM Satellite Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: XMSR).

Idol fans have accused Stern of ruining America's most popular television show by asking people not to vote for their favorite singer in the talent competition. Others, me included, argue that Stern is showing that "American Idol" is a singing competition in name only.

Stickittostern and no doubt the top managers at Fox parent News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) see no humor in Stern's shenanigans.

"Stopping this merger would cost Stern millions since a sizeable amount of his pay package is tied up in company stock," the Web site says, adding that it will suspend its campaign only if Stern agrees to the following five demands which are listed verbatim below:

• Stop "Vote for the Worst" campaign
• Send a written and video apology for "Vote for the Worst" campaign to "American Idol."
• Give any "American Idol" contestant voted off the show because of "Vote for the Worst" $20,000 as a goodwill gester (sp?).
• Apologize to wack packer "Eric the Actor" for "Vote for the Worst" campaign
• Never watch of TiVo American Idol again

Much as I hate to burst this campaign's bubble, Stern didn't start the "Vote for the Worst" campaign. The Web site has been around since 2004.