AT&T May Have Swayed Idol Outcome to Favor Kris Allen

The New York Times is reporting that American Idol's Kris Allen may have had a little help from AT&T, one of the Fox show's biggest corporate sponsors, in winning this year.

According to the Times, AT&T provided phones for free text-messaging services at two Allen parties in Arkansas on the night of the finals. Citing sources, The Times reports that AT&T reps showed party-goers how to "power text" -- cast 10 votes at the touch of a button -- which violates show rules.

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Power texts, according to the Times, "have an exponentially greater effect on voting than do single text messages or calls to the shows toll-free phone lines."

No similar efforts appear to have been made to provide free texting services to Adam Lambert fans.

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Angry Lambert supporters are now claiming in online chat boards that the competition's voting was rigged.

While Fox has yet to comment, AT&T issued the following statement: "In Arkansas, we were invited to attend the local watch parties organized by the community. A few local employees brought a small number of demo phones with them and provided texting tutorials to those who were interested."

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The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette first reported on the possible skewed voting last week.

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