The X Factor Season Kicks Off for eModeration

Added: (Fri Sep 25 2009)

Pressbox (Press Release) - It’s officially The X Factor season, and this year ITV and FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) are using eModeration, the moderation and community management company, to manage the tens of thousands of comments expected on the programme website http://itv.com/xfactor. The show runs from Saturday 22 August to mid-December 2009.

ITV has been engaging fans of its most popular shows and The X Factor is no exception. The production team are using social media - including posting links to content such as exclusive video and the latest news on Facebook and Twitter - to drive users to The X Factor site, where they can have their say on all aspects of the show. Various sections of the site allow users to share their views, ask questions and leave feedback. They can also rate the content and watch highlights according to various themes.

eModeration’s team are lined up to review comments that appear on the site. As the show approaches the live stages, as many as four moderators at a time will be working to minimise the delay between a comment being written and it being reviewed. eModeration’s job is to ensure no illegal, offensive or abusive content remains on the site.

Ben Ayers, social media and online engagement manager for ITV.com, says: “We want social media to play and even bigger part in this year’s show and commenting on the site is a key part of the mix. As more and more people get involved with the show online it’s really important that we monitor users’ comments while allowing discussion and opinion to flow.”

Tamara Littleton, CEO of eModeration, says: “A show like The X Factor is enhanced by people getting involved. It’s really important that the thousands of fans who comment on the site are in a safe environment – particularly as many of them will be young adults or teenagers. The job of moderation is to make sure viewers are not exposed to anything offensive and don’t inadvertently put themselves in danger by posting personally identifiable information.”

The X Factor is produced by talkbackTHAMES, the UK production company owned by FremantleMedia, and Syco TV Production for ITV.

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About eModeration

Founded in 2002, eModeration Limited is an international, specialist user generated content moderation company. It provides multilingual community management and content moderation to clients in the entertainment and digital publishing industry and major corporate clients hosting online communities and consumer-driven ad campaigns.

eModeration's team of moderators and staff are the key to eModeration's success and excellent client list. eModeration draws on the expertise of carefully recruited and trained moderators located mainly in the US and Europe with specialist editorial and community moderation skills, which are matched uniquely to the client. The company can moderate 24/7 in more than 30 languages. All its moderators are managed online from eModeration's headquarters in London, United Kingdom.

Notes to Editors

ABOUT FREMANTLEMEDIA ENTERPRISES & FREMANTLEMEDIA

FremantleMedia is one of the leading creators and producers of entertainment brands in the world. FremantleMedia is part of the RTL Group, Europe's largest television and radio broadcast company, which is in turn 90 percent owned by Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's major media and entertainment companies. FremantleMedia’s worldwide production arm is responsible for many of the world’s highest rated prime time entertainment, drama, serial drama and factual entertainment programmes. FremantleMedia Enterprises is the brand extension arm of FremantleMedia, offering a one-stop-shop for all Licensing, Distribution and Home Entertainment around the world. The FremantleMedia Group (which includes talkbackTHAMES, UFA and Grundy amongst others) has operations in 22 countries, one of the most comprehensive global networks, creating over 14,000 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and managing over 300 individual titles. FremantleMedia has some of the world’s most sought after and long running formats in its catalogue, and globally, produces such programmes as: Idols (co-produced with 19 Productions in the US), The X Factor (co-produced with Syco in the UK), Got Talent (co-produced with Syco in the UK and the US), Neighbours, The Bill, Family Feud, The Price is Right, Farmer Wants A Wife and Hole In The Wall.