• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, March 14, 2005

Nielsen//NetRatings reported that the American Idol Web site, IdolOnFox.com, captivated the largest at-home audience during the sixth week of competition since the show first aired in 2002, with 463,000 unique visitors for the week ending February 27.

American Idol's online popularity is steadily growing as the sixth week in 2005 jumped 16 percent, compared to the sixth week in 2004; the site skyrocketed 75 percent compared to the same week from the first season in 2002, according to Nielsen//NetRatings.

Kaizad Gotla, Internet analyst, Nielsen//NetRatings, said "American Idol is yet another example of a TV show that has effectively engaged its users between mediums such as TV and the Internet. This level of user engagement is critical for advertisers..."

Visitors to IdolOnFox.com found contestant information the most fascinating portion of the site, drawing 56 percent of the site's audience. Exclusives on the contestants, general show information, bonus games and e-cards captured 28 percent of the audience's attention, while 27 percent of the visitors viewed photos and videos from previous episodes.