The Rhydian Conspiracy

The following is an e-mail and is representative of many that have been sent to the Rhydian Factor
In years to come when someone asks the question Where were you at 10:35 on 15th December 2007? most people will instantly know. They will remember the shock they were feeling and the growing, nagging thoughts that they had been stitched up. Sure they will remember the hurt but looking back they will realise that this was when they started to feel that something was wrong. Something stank about the whole affair.
Why fix a TV popularity contest?
The usual answers: money and power. Because the producers of the show can fix it they do. It's not only the telephone voting that is making them money, that is relatively small beer. What they want at the end of the show is a product that can be easily sold. Leon fits perfectly. Young, attractive, poor background, easy to control and package.
Someone who proudly proclaims their beliefs, religious convictions, who challenges the direction of their career and what songs to sing...well, I don't think so. Simon Cowell quote, "Rhydian is up his own arse". And SD, well they don't hit the right demographic.
How to fix a popularity contest?
In these post telephone scandal days producers are understandably nervous about just making the numbers up. They used to do this all the time and get away with it - how often do you see the numbers for telephone votes broken down by region and reported in your newspaper or online? Never
So how can you fix it?
1) Well you have control over contestants song choices and, in the case of Saturday night, singing partners. In Leon's case with most of his voters being teenage girls they decided to broaden his appeal to male voters too. Call for a Minogue. You can imagine the conversation. Dannii:"Kylie we want you to sing with Leon" Kylie:"Isn't he the one that you said almost wets himself on stage and sings flat?" Dannii:"Yes, but...well Simon says he can do something with my career if you agree" Kylie:" Hmmm" Dannii:" Oh, and don't bother with clothing, just wear your underwear"
2) Most voters vote after the final song in the main show. Make sure that Rhydian sings last. Less time to vote means fewer votes.
3) When it comes down to it - if all the above fails the system for logging the calls made is corruptable from the very beginning untill Dermot opens the envelope. From changing the call volumes allowed to each number - to just reporting the results as you want them to be. No one is checking. If any business was queried about a poll result they would publish the figures for every week.
Bring back the clapometer - it's probably fairer and it costs the viewing public nothing.