"American Idol" hopefuls across the United States will not have to leave their home states to audition for the sixth season of the FOX-TV hit.
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That's because show creator FremantleMedia and Glowcast Ventures are banding together to conduct auditions at malls and venues in all 50 states starting with the 2006 season, FreemantleMedia said.
The new system will open the auditions to as many as 20,000 more contestants next year.
"Historically we've been able to visit only six or seven cities each season," said Olivier Gers, Fremantlemedia Licensing Worldwide America's senior vice president.
The first 500 people at each audition site who meet the show's requirements will perform for a live audience. The winners then move onto regional auditions.