Lycos.co.uk, FremantleMedia and talkbackTHAMES are partnering on a user-generated content campaign around the ITV1 series, "The X Factor" (note: "The X Factor" is produced by talkbackTHAMES, which is a subsidiary of FremantleMedia). The campaign, which leverages "Fan Central," a special community section on the "X Factor" Web site (http://xfactorvideos.lycos.co.uk/index.php), invites viewers to upload videoclips of themselves performing: each week, the "X Factor" production team will choose what they consider to be the 10 most entertaining clips, and place them on the show's Web site--where they will then be voted on by viewers who will select a weekly winner. After six weeks, all the weekly winners will be entered into a final round, in which an overall winner will be chosen by popular vote. The competition will also award prizes for popular submissions. In addition, Lycos Chat will host Web chats with evictees from the show every two weeks: the sessions, in which viewers will be able to ask the evictees questions live, will be filmed for use in a special entitled "The Xtra Factor--The Aftermath," which will air on ITV2. "This enables 'The X Factor' fans to get even more involved in the show and--most importantly--with each other," Jeffrey Lee, managing director of Lycos UK, said in a prepared statement. "By allowing everyone to upload their clips and have them judged by fellow fans, we are creating a new way to involve the show's viewers. Anyone can get involved and show off their talents to friends and fans alike."
In other FremantleMedia news: the company has teamed with mobile content specialist, Mobliss, to launch a mobile TV channel, dubbed "Atomic Wedgie," on Sprint's wireless network. The channel, which is available via a monthly subscription, features both original content and content from FremantleMedia's library, and is targeted at the 18-34 year-old male demographic. FremantleMedia and Mobliss have previously collaborated on providing SMS interactivity in association with "American Idol," and on a number of other mobile projects.
Originally Published: November 6, 2006 in [itvt] Issue 7.03 Part 3
Click: http://www.itvt.com to subscribe to our free email newsletter, which contains all the news stories you see on this Web site, and additional breaking news and scoops, in-depth features, interviews, screenshots, videos, and other exclusive content you will not find anywhere else.
