[Reven]

(Previous years too embarrassing to mention because of XF producers putting the less good ones through, in part...)

Wouldn't let us vote last year?

Won't even let us see the Twins' clips this year?

(Only Brian Friedman can protect them now...)

[tommygunner]

Whether they hate them or not, I should think they would love their money.

So it is a bit perplexing.

[spkx]

It's something to do with Ireland in general

It's the same on Big Brother - you can't vote from Ireland

I'd imagine it's probably down to some laws or similar

[HonestEyes]

I am a bit shocked to read someone would seriously think ITV hate the Irish. I think it's down to something as simple as that Ireland (Republic of Ireland) is not a part of the UK. Therefore they cannot vote.

I don't know if there is an X Factor in France, but if it was I don't think anyone would expect that people who could watch the show in the UK would be allowed to vote... It's the same thing. All fair and square to me.

[Reven]

Originally Posted by HonestEyes

I am a bit shocked to read someone would seriously think ITV hate the Irish. I think it's down to something as simple as that Ireland (Republic of Ireland) is not a part of the UK. Therefore they cannot vote.

I don't know if there is an X Factor in France, but if it was I don't think anyone would expect that people who could watch the show in the UK would be allowed to vote... It's the same thing. All fair and square to me.

We could vote until 2 years ago. We could watch all the extra clips on the ITV website until last year.

The ITV producers have two teenage Dublin lads in their grasp this year and we can't do anything to help them.

And another thing! Someone mentioned the 'duty of care' that the XF producers have towards J&E and all the XF contestants, and I hope the producers take that seriously. I also hope they have the same 'duty of care' towards Cheryl because she has genuinely not being looking that well to my eye the last couple of weeks. I mean that sincerely, XF producers! Don't say it hasn't been said to ya...

[MARTYM8]

The Republic of Ireland is an independent nation. You could equally say ITV hate the French or the Dutch - they cannot vote either.

Residents of Northern Ireland can vote of course!

[HonestEyes]

I believe that they held auditions in Dublin up until 2-3 years ago so that would be the reason why the Irish could vote. Then they decided (for whatever reason) that Ireland would not be included in the X Factor anymore. That's just one of those things, we have to accept it. Feel free to protest though but I don't think moaning about it on a forum will help anyone.

J&E went to a UK city to audition, that's how they ended up in the X Factor this year. That was their decision. But that doesn't change the rules that all of the sudden the Irish can vote.

I would like to add that I would want nothing more than the Irish taking part in this too. But at the same time I do think the rules are very fair and don't see any problem with it.

[cruella de vile]

Originally Posted by Reven

We could vote until 2 years ago. We could watch all the extra clips on the ITV website until last year.

The ITV producers have two teenage Dublin lads in their grasp this year and we can't do anything to help them.

And another thing! Someone mentioned the 'duty of care' that the XF producers have towards J&E and all the XF contestants, and I hope the producers take that seriously. I also hope they have the same 'duty of care' towards Cheryl because she has genuinely not being looking that well to my eye the last couple of weeks. I mean that sincerely, XF producers! Don't say it hasn't been said to ya...

They need to be accountable for how the voting is run now, they weren't in the past so it didn't matter if people were being ripped off. So now they need to make sure that things are fair and square they aren't interested in your money.

[Queen Maeve]

XF is shown on an Irish station TV3.I think the problem with Irish votes is that the time it takes to close the lines and verify the votes and transfer them over to ITV in London is problematical. With all the scandals of recent years, people wouild be angry if their calls were not counted, the first problems along this line were in BB9 when irish voting was ditched after week 1 for technical reasons.

[Fhionnuisce]

People in the Republic could vote in these shows until a couple of years ago but it was stopped by the British regulators just as all text voting for English people was stopped. I was because of the scandals about 'rigged' votes. TV3 show XFactor, BGT, Dancing on Ice etc at exactly the same time as ITV in Britain but when the numbers come up a ribbon superimposes saying voting is not open to viewers in the Republic. TV3 said when it first happened that it was because the regulators said there wasn't enough time to verify all the phone votes or the text votes. In the Louis Walsh interview a couple of weeks ago they said that they had tried really hard to get voting back this year and hoped that it will be in place for 2010. What is different from France and Holland etc is that TV3 is basically the same as British ITV, I think they own most of it.

Even the first series could be seen by the majority of Irish people on UTV. BBC tv could always be seen in the east but they never let people from the Republic vote even in the days of postal votes for Blue Peter. Something to do with the licence. ITV apparently want all Irish viewers to be able to vote, no doubt because they are happy to get the money, but originally said it was out of here hands but they hopped it wasn't permanent. I expect they also want to get back text votes for British people cos even more money. I guess it just a technical thing. There have previously been XFactor auditions in Dublin so I don't think it's anything sinister as some people seem to be suggesting.

Incidentally, I bet a bigger proportion of people who watch XFactor in Ireland also watch Xtra Faxtor as it's now shown on the same main channel immediately after the first show but in Britain it is on ITV2 which not everybody has.

[Reven]

Originally Posted by cruella de vile

They need to be accountable for how the voting is run now, they weren't in the past so it didn't matter if people were being ripped off. So now they need to make sure that things are fair and square they aren't interested in your money.

Tanks 4 ringing dat bell! (Quasimodo told me ta say dat!)

[imacd001]

eh! maybe because its a brittish show and you live in another country

[neelia]

Originally Posted by MARTYM8

The Republic of Ireland is an independent nation. You could equally say ITV hate the French or the Dutch - they cannot vote either.

Residents of Northern Ireland can vote of course!

You said it for me

[Gotham]

Originally Posted by HonestEyes

I am a bit shocked to read someone would seriously think ITV hate the Irish. I think it's down to something as simple as that Ireland (Republic of Ireland) is not a part of the UK. Therefore they cannot vote.

I don't know if there is an X Factor in France, but if it was I don't think anyone would expect that people who could watch the show in the UK would be allowed to vote... It's the same thing. All fair and square to me.

If that was the case then they shouldn't accept any Irish acts. I'm not saying that that we all vote for the Irish act, all the same it would be nice to support those acts if we felt they deserved it.

[Electra]

Originally Posted by MARTYM8

The Republic of Ireland is an independent nation. You could equally say ITV hate the French or the Dutch - they cannot vote either.

Residents of Northern Ireland can vote of course!

That's most likely the reason. It's simply that Ireland isn't part of the UK and it's a UK competition. Even though it's open to foreign nationals, those nations can't vote.

[Annsyre]

Originally Posted by HonestEyes

I believe that they held auditions in Dublin up until 2-3 years ago so that would be the reason why the Irish could vote. Then they decided (for whatever reason) that Ireland would not be included in the X Factor anymore. That's just one of those things, we have to accept it. Feel free to protest though but I don't think moaning about it on a forum will help anyone.

J&E went to a UK city to audition, that's how they ended up in the X Factor this year. That was their decision. But that doesn't change the rules that all of the sudden the Irish can vote.

I would like to add that I would want nothing more than the Irish taking part in this too. But at the same time I do think the rules are very fair and don't see any problem with it.

Would you feel the same if all the contestants were none UK residents and all came from various parts of the EU?

My point here is that J and E are living in the Irish Republic which is a member of the EU.

[Fhionnuisce]

Originally Posted by MARTYM8

The Republic of Ireland is an independent nation. You could equally say ITV hate the French or the Dutch - they cannot vote either.

Originally Posted by imacd001

eh! maybe because its a brittish show and you live in another country

XFactor does not audition in Paris or Amsterdam and ITV does not own a major French or Dutch tv channel. I think they both France and Holland also each have their own XFactor.

Originally Posted by MARTYM8

Residents of Northern Ireland can vote of course!

Then again they can also vote in all Irish tv shows as well.

[Phoebica]

Originally Posted by Reven

We could vote until 2 years ago. We could watch all the extra clips on the ITV website until last year.

The ITV producers have two teenage Dublin lads in their grasp this year and we can't do anything to help them.

And another thing! Someone mentioned the 'duty of care' that the XF producers have towards J&E and all the XF contestants, and I hope the producers take that seriously. I also hope they have the same 'duty of care' towards Cheryl because she has genuinely not being looking that well to my eye the last couple of weeks. I mean that sincerely, XF producers! Don't say it hasn't been said to ya...

Don't think they need the help really.

Imagine if Ireland could vote? I know that people in Ireland wouldn't vote for Jedward just because they're Irish but they'd certainly get quite a few extra votes, they could actually have won then

[spkx]

Originally Posted by Fhionnuisce

XFactor does not audition in Paris or Amsterdam and ITV does not own a major French or Dutch tv channel. I think they both France and Holland also each have their own XFactor.

X Factor doesn't audition in Ireland, either.

Auditions are held in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow

[Fhionnuisce]

Originally Posted by spkx

X Factor doesn't audition in Ireland, either.

Auditions are held in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow

Auditions are held in different places each year (although always in London) there have been auditions in Dublin which is in Ireland and Belfast which is in the North.

[Fhionnuisce]

Originally Posted by Phoebica

Don't think they need the help really.

Imagine if Ireland could vote? I know that people in Ireland wouldn't vote for Jedward just because they're Irish but they'd certainly get quite a few extra votes, they could actually have won then

People in all parts of Ireland could vote until a couple of years ago and apparently may do so again next year. That has nothing to do with XFactor particuarly. People in Ireland are no more going to vote for J&E just because they are Irish than English people will vote for Stacey because she is English. It is the English Scots and Welsh who are keeping J&E in.

[ardmajell55]

Originally Posted by HonestEyes

I believe that they held auditions in Dublin up until 2-3 years ago so that would be the reason why the Irish could vote. Then they decided (for whatever reason) that Ireland would not be included in the X Factor anymore. That's just one of those things, we have to accept it. Feel free to protest though but I don't think moaning about it on a forum will help anyone.

J&E went to a UK city to audition, that's how they ended up in the X Factor this year. That was their decision. But that doesn't change the rules that all of the sudden the Irish can vote.

I would like to add that I would want nothing more than the Irish taking part in this too. But at the same time I do think the rules are very fair and don't see any problem with it.

I agree, Honest Eyes. I believe they [in the South i mean]would still be allowed to vote in xf except for the tightened up rules on phone voting in the uk, after recent frauds came to light which itv were at fault in. i know that the xf have a contract with independent Irish tv channel TV3 so i think they would probably have wanted to include southern viewers in the whole xf experience. i would say there's very little anti irish attitude in Britain now [except among rightwingers where it still persists. My near neighbiour Eoghan was able to reach the final last year and i don't think he would claim there was a problem.

[ardmajell55]

Originally Posted by Fhionnuisce

People in all parts of Ireland could vote until a couple of years ago and apparently may do so again next year. That has nothing to do with XFactor particuarly. People in Ireland are no more going to vote for J&E just because they are Irish than English people will vote for Stacey because she is English. It is the English Scots and Welsh who are keeping J&E in.

you've got it there. it was different with Eoghan last year. most of his votes were from n. ireland with a small proportion added from britain.
this was swamped by britain based votes J&e are

[ardmajell55]

Originally Posted by ardmajell55

[/b]

you've got it there. it was different with Eoghan last year. most of his votes were from n. ireland with a small proportion added from britain.
this was swamped by britain based votes J&e are

britain based, mainly, with some from n. ireland..

[Billyyyyy]

Originally Posted by Gotham

If that was the case then they shouldn't accept any Irish acts. I'm not saying that that we all vote for the Irish act, all the same it would be nice to support those acts if we felt they deserved it.

What?...

That's like saying we shouldn't of accepted Ruth because she was Spanish and they cannot vote...?
I think that's called racist, mate...