Average "Idol" voter casts 38 ballots by text

By Jill Serjeant

LOS ANGELES (Reuters Life!) - As "American Idol" reaches its climax next week, new data reveals that the average viewer weighing in on their favorite contestant voted 38 times via text message last month and that women vote far more than men.

And contrary to popular wisdom, that more than half those watching the smash hit talent show are viewers aged 35 and up, which may bode ill for 'tween heartthrob David Archuleta in his face-off against alternative rocker David Cook, 25, in the finale next Tuesday.

Data from the Nielsen Company on Friday showed that 52 percent of "American Idol" viewers in the current seventh season are aged between 35 and 64 years old.

Only 15 percent of viewers are aged between 2 and 17 -- the group thought to make up the biggest fan base for Archuleta, 17, the baby-faced crooner known by fans as "The Chosen One."

"American Idol" remains by far the most watched television show in the United States, but weekly audiences have declined this year to an average 27 million viewers, compared with more than 30 million who regularly tuned in during the show's height in 2005, Nielsen said.

Nielsen said the average "Idol" watcher who votes by text message did so 38 times in April 2008, with women submitting 44 percent more text-message votes than men.

There was no figure for the amount of times fans record their votes via telephone lines, nor the age group that votes the most.

Producers of the Fox network show said this week they had received a total of 56 million votes in the decision that sent Cook and Archuleta through to the May 20 finale sing-off, and which eliminated the last remaining female contestant, Syesha Mercado.

The winner of the 2008 "American Idol" crown and a recording contract will be announced on May 21 in Hollywood.

(Editing by Steve Gorman)