American Idol Contestants Have To Give Up Their Social Media Presence?

from the can't-build-your-own-damn-brand dept

Wed, Mar 10th 2010 5:57pm — Mike Masnick

Apparently, you don't just commit to handing over your music recordings if you enter American Idol, but now you have to give up your ability to build your own brand, as well. Hypebot alerts us to the news that American Idol contestants for the latest season were all forced to shut down their Facebook, MySpace and Twitter usage, and point everyone directly to American Idol's own website instead. In an age when having a strong social media presence is important to career success for many musicians, this seems like quite a big trade-off.

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Filed Under: american idol, twitter

32 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 10 Mar 2010 @ 7:14pm

Everyone knows that superstars are better than the unwashed masses so it makes perfect sense to cut off all contact with the hoi polloi and the plebs.

Just ask how well it's been working out for Metallica.

Superstar!
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- slander (profile), 10 Mar 2010 @ 7:27pm
  
  Re:
  Who?
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  - Anonymous Coward, 10 Mar 2010 @ 8:32pm
    
    Re: Re:
    That's why musicians make music, right? To become superstars, you know, rich and famous. Rock and roll! Doing illegal drugs and paying for prostitutes!
    
    Rock and roll! Breaking all the rules!
    
    Don't infringe on my copyright, that's stealing, shouldn't do that, that's wrong.
    
    Rock and roll! Sticking it to the man!
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    - NoPay!, 11 Mar 2010 @ 9:56am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      free drugs and free hookers...or no deal!
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Jell-O Man, 10 Mar 2010 @ 7:34pm

Exposure
I don't get it, you would think that exposure through the world wide web would be a plus. More people would follow them that way, and in turn watch American Idol. More viewers equals more cahs, right?
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jxj, 10 Mar 2010 @ 7:46pm

The millions the industry can afford to pour into these talentless morons have always been enough to manipulate the weak minds of the unwashed, so as long as it works they'll keep trying to do it.

Now, with the advent of the internet, things haven't always been so clear-cut, as we keep seeing technically unmarketed content appear on the charts simply through its virtue, the personal promotion from the creators and the amazing marketing machine that filesharing has become.

The day American Idiot contestants can't get a foot through the door will be a good day for humanity.
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- Bullpine (profile), 11 Mar 2010 @ 7:02am
  
  Re:
  Quote JXJ "The day American Idiot contestants can't get a foot through the door will be a good day for humanity."
  
  Hey JXJ how envious of you! Does the JXJ mean jealous x jealous? You must have bombed the audition. Are you one of the freaks? That's it!
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Anonymous Coward, 10 Mar 2010 @ 8:14pm

Hey,

Simon Cowell has to make money by promoting "his" artists somehow!
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mrharrysan (profile), 10 Mar 2010 @ 8:29pm

Of course
It doesn't surprise me that the producers of that show want total control over all aspects of marketing and the public image of the show. You can't have some kid Tweeting about how the show is rigged and how they knew who was going to win all along.
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- Anonymous Coward, 10 Mar 2010 @ 9:46pm
  
  Re: Of course
  and why not?
  
  I contend that we can't have some government grant these people monopoly power and then allow them to exercise their unearned monopoly power in the manner that they do.
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Duckbutter, 10 Mar 2010 @ 8:48pm

Am Id taking it away
Are you saying these idiots, err idols, know how to use the interweb?

Are you trying to say these idiots, err...idols are able to turn a monitor on?

Harrumph
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NAMELESS.ONE, 10 Mar 2010 @ 8:55pm

reason
they the media lobby do not want any proof that anyhting freely exposed would garner sales

simple and true
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Anonymous Coward, 10 Mar 2010 @ 9:43pm

Given that American Idle is played over cableco infrastructure with government granted monopoly power, I propose that this behavior by American Idol should be illegal.

No, the networks should not get to exercise their unearned government granted monopoly power to exploit others.
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Pixelation, 10 Mar 2010 @ 10:28pm

Umm, let's see. Spend the rest of your life washing dishes and hoping you'll get discovered by singing on the street corner or give up give up being a " Facebook twit" for a while and likely get vaulted into stardom. Let the other Twitter twits twitter on about the idol twits.
Not exactly selling their souls for a shot at fame.
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Anonymous Coward, 10 Mar 2010 @ 11:56pm

Or is it because on Cowell's show 'X Factor' in the UK lots of information that Simon and his associates thought could be damaging? Would the public be distraught to find out that Idols are humans? Or perhaps it was because it was leaked on Twitter that two of his male contenders were dating? They quashed that tweet too...
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- Anonymous Coward, 11 Mar 2010 @ 12:04am
  
  Re:
  Nah, it's fine if they are human. It's sub-human idols that would cause parents to ground their 14-year-olds (e.g. when they start going to school in just their underwear and a strange wig made of feathers). Also, the aliens.
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Mr RC (profile), 11 Mar 2010 @ 12:05am

erm...
Not American... Not a lawyer...

but isn't this a freedom of speech issue?

They are essentially denying contestants their freedom of speech..
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- Anonymous Coward, 11 Mar 2010 @ 12:11am
  
  Re: erm...
  It is a contract issue. A company is saying, you want us to promote you via our show, you have to shut down your social sites.
  
  It's perfectly legal but no less stupid.
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  - Mr RC (profile), 11 Mar 2010 @ 12:34am
    
    Re: Re: erm...
    I didn't think you could contractually sign away your legal (or constitutional rights)..
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    - Anonymous Coward, 11 Mar 2010 @ 1:29am
      
      Re: Re: Re: erm...
      If you don't want to play by the rules, don't sign. You won't have to put up with the publicity and potential for fame when you're flipping burgers.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 11 Mar 2010 @ 3:43am
      
      Re: Re: Re: erm...
      You've never been to public school then, right?
      You can sign away almost anything under the banner of "terms of service".
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    - Clay, 11 Mar 2010 @ 6:18am
      
      Re: Re: Re: erm...
      You're not signing away your rights. You still have all your constitutional rights, you'd just be dropped from the contract upon expressing those rights.
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    - Pontifex (profile), 11 Mar 2010 @ 2:57pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: erm...
      The First Amendment prohibits the government from quashing free speech. American Idol is not the government.
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Mar 2010 @ 2:22am

musicians on american idol?
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yozoo, 11 Mar 2010 @ 5:18am

Just Curious
Can anyone name an actual American Idol winner . . . any of them?
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- Anonymous Coward, 11 Mar 2010 @ 9:21am
  
  Re: Just Curious
  Simon Cowell?
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Mar 2010 @ 5:46am

Not much to idolize in that show
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Clay, 11 Mar 2010 @ 6:15am

Can't blame them
The more outlets they have for expressing their opinion, the more opportunities they have to make asses of themselves.
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Tek'a R (profile), 11 Mar 2010 @ 7:37pm

I think this is more about control over how publicity functions. American Idol does not want to promote someone into a success. Operating much like, well, every recording giant ever, they would much rather promote you Through themselves.

Dont encourage people to download the music you have had posted, free, on your own personal webspace. Instead guide everyone to Us, we will gladly sell them those tracks*

*you will not receive any royalties or payment.

It is just a fairly hamhanded and early attempt to make sure all success shortcircuited back into the IDOLSHOW
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Paul Puri, 11 Mar 2010 @ 11:12pm

Really?!
Yes. Because Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace over power American Idol when it comes to promoting ones self. Explain how being 'social' is a bigger benefit over, say, millions of people watching you on national television. I'm sure the contestants got over it really fast. Sob, cry. I can't Tweet to a few non relevant people so they can complain about me trying to be famous. So I'm just gonna have to live with performing live on stage. Really?! Really?!
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Andrew, 10 Jun 2014 @ 8:52am

Play by the rules
They don't have to sign the contract if they don't want to... They can just go about their life without working for the show.. No one is forcing them to sign.
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Robert, 10 Jun 2014 @ 8:54am

Really???
Yes. Because Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace over power American Idol when it comes to promoting ones self. Explain how being 'social' is a bigger benefit over, say, millions of people watching you on national television. I'm sure the contestants got over it really fast. Sob, cry. I can't Tweet to a few non relevant people so they can complain about me trying to be famous. So I'm just gonna have to live with performing live on stage. Really?! Really?!

http://americanidoljudges.org/
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