By ALAN PERROTT
Female NZ Idol fans outnumber their male counterparts across all age groups, according to television ratings.
ACNielsen results for last weekend's episodes showed NZ Idol rated at between 22 per cent and 25 per cent across the four female age-groups, compared with 9 per cent to 21 per cent
for males.
The popularity of the Monday results show over the performances screened the previous day continued and was most reflected among younger girls, with a 22 per cent rating for Sunday compared with 26 per cent the next day.
The lowest rating was 9 per cent for males aged 15 to 29 on Sunday.
The higher ratings among females reflected the show's switch from talent quest to "erotic popularity show", said Auckland University media studies lecturer Misha Kavka.
"If it is true that young girls are also voting the most, then it appears they are either voting for their own [racially] or for what they desire and black women are not going to rate highly in either of those categories. It has become an erotic popularity show."
The lack of support for female contestants among women voters was a sad reflection on female solidarity.
Camillia may have failed to win the popular vote but she has the goods to succeed, says Gray Bartlett, performer and manager of pop-opera divas Hayley Westenra and Julia Townsend.
"She's probably the most outstanding voice of the last three and could find a place in a sort of Tina Turner way, there is room for that. If you had to rank each out of 10 on various points she'd probably win ... "
The final between Ben Lummis and Michael Murphy will be filmed on Friday, and screen on Sunday on TV2.
