The Pinoy Idol

GMA networks counterpart of ABS-CBN Pinoy Dream Academy is the Pinoy Idol. It was first viewed in Associated Broadcasting Company or ABC on its Season One Edition and won by Mau Marcelo.
It is a reality- base singing competition hosted by Raymund Gutierrez that will seek new talents of Filipino through a nationwide auditions and live performance held in different part of the country. It was judge by Ogie Alcasid, Jolina Magdangal and Wyngard Tracy.
Contestants will be determined by the public through a text voting. The winner will receive wonderful prizes like cash prize of P1million, a car, a condominium unit and a television contract from GMA Network and recording contract from Sony BMG Music Philippines.
It was officially started last April 5, 2008 and promoted to be the First Pinoy Idol competition in the country by GMA Network. These forfeits Mau Marcelo of becoming the “First Pinoy Idol Winner” that is not recognized by the network.
Marcelo earlier had announce during its first concert in Araneta Coliseum with the First Season Final Twelve last March 2007 the opening of the Season Two in ABC network. But after several negotiations, FremantleMedia, the owner of the franchise decided to move the Second Season and be viewed in GMA Networks which was premiered on April 5.
179 aspirants had passed the round of elimination in the auditions held in Cagayan de Oro city, Iloilo City, Batangas City, Davao City, Pasay City, Cebu City, dagupan and Angeles city from thousands who had audition.
All 179 aspirants are gathered in SM Cinema 6 of SM North EDSA for a series of elimination. On the first round “The Hopefuls” referring to the aspirants were divided into ten groups where each are performed their pieces in front of the judges. Ten got eliminated and 90 hopefuls remain in the second round. The 90 will then chose a pair to perform a duet but judge individually.
Only half of the number left to perform another number of the song of their choice then divided again in three groups of fifteen. The number fall down into thirty after one group is eliminated. Only Top 24 remains after the re=examinations done by the judges from the auditions up to their final performance in the theater rounds.
The final 24 contestants have been announced last May 17, 2008. The names of the contestants were change and shortened for the public to easily recognized and remembered.
Last May 23, 2008, the semi final round or “workshop phase” was started with the first Top 12 Male contestant to perform. The Female Top 12 will perform the following day. And beginning May 25, a weekly elimination will be conducted.
Pinoy Idol already announces its Final 12 contestants from its original number of 24 last June 15, 2008. Part of the Final Contestants were: Warren Antig of Bataan, Jayann Bautista of Pampanga, Kid Kamaya from Pampanga, Daryl Celis of Rizal, Ram Chaves from Cagayan de Oro, Gretchen Espina of Biliran, Penelope Matanguihan from Batangas, Toffer Rei and Sue Ellen Marikina City, Robie Navarro of Iloilo City, Mae Flores of Pampanga and Jeni Rawolle of Paco, Manila.
A Pinoy Idol feature program “Pinoy Idol Extra” was announce last May 18, 2008 in SOP and will be hosted by Karylle and Rhian Ramos. It will feature contestant exclusive behind-the-scene footage of contestants live shows and interviews of the judges. It premiers last May 25, 2008 and will be aired on weekday nights and Sunday afternoons.
The show will only allow to be aired only once a week in 7 weeks as diviation from any Idol shows. However, GMA Networks are given right by FrantleMedia to broadcast Pinoy Idol on its GMA Pinoy TV which is the networks US Cable channel.
Smart communication who is the main sponsor of the show since its first season in the Philippines, GMA Networks uses another number for SMS voting for the GLOBE Telecom and Sun Cellular subscribers.
During the semi-finals, only 200 votes will be send in every voting period which is only limited to 2hours in the end of each show no matter which contestant they vote for. Landline Voting is not allowed. Voting will be extended on its final phase from the start of the show till the afternoon of the next day but still with 200 votes in every cell number.
Following the same format as the American Idol, the semi-final will spanned for three nights where the first night will be the performance night and the last will be the result episode.
The Male and female contestants will alternate on performing in every weeks performing nights. This patterned will make only one gender contestant to be eliminated in every semifinal week. The 12 Top contestants will then be announced in the fourth semifinal week.
Only one contestant will be hailed as the PINOY IDOL in the end of the fourth week.