The idol franchise has been a phenomenal hit in every country that acquired the brand, except the Philippines. When it was shown as "Philippine Idol" on ABC 5, it was nowhere to be found in the ratings list aside from the fact that ABC incurred heavy losses in its first season, primarily because of the low number of advertisement placements despite being a widely-followed show. Some factors that probably kept it from being a hit was the limited reach of ABC 5's signal (primarily Luzon only while cable in Vizayas and Mindanao) and it was in collision with ABS-CBN's first season of Pinoy Dream Academy.

Louie Ignacio, who directs GMA’s variety program SOP Rules and was part of the network’s own singing competition Pinoy Pop Superstar, is slated to direct the first season of Pinoy Idol. Ryan Agoncillo, who hosted Philippine Idol, will not reprise his hosting stint due to his contract with rival network ABS-CBN. Likewise, Philippine Idol judge Ryan Cayabyab will not return to his jury duties because he is now the headmaster of the second season of ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Dream Academy. Pilita Corrales, another Philippine Idol judge, has also appeared in the ABS-CBN show Love Spell. But Pilita was a host of “Bagong Kampeon”, a singing competition in the 80’s and the early 90’s that discovered Regine Velasquez and Josephine “Banig” Roberto which was shown on GMA. Whether she will reprise her judging duties in Pinoy Idol is still unknown at this time.

GMA’s former singing competition program “Pinoy Pop Superstar” was supposed to be named “Pinoy Pop Idol” but ABC 5 cried foul because it will confuse the televiewers with their Philippine Idol.

Although GMA aquired the idol brand from Fremantle, it wasn’t able to acquire the original title “Philippine Idol” as it was owned by ABC 5 and the station didn’t give it up. Instead they will use the term “Pinoy Idol”. This could be the reason why they don’t consider Pinoy Idol the second season of Philippine Idol and that they couldn’t recognize Mau Marcelo as the first-season winner, although her runners-up Jan Nieto and Gian Magdangal are both part of GMA’s roster already.

The idol followers are still in the guessing game on who will host and who will sit in the judges’ chairs in Pinoy Idol. Rumor has it that Regine Velasquez will be one of the hosts while Paolo Bediones will take the hosting job. There are also expectations that the judges of Pinoy Pop Supestar like Jaya and Danny Tan will also take the job in Pinoy Idol.

It was revealed during GMA Network’s New Year’s Eve 2007 Presentation that the audition dates will be held in the following cities:

Cagayan de Oro on January 17, 2008
Batangas City on January 24, 2008
Iloilo City on January 31, 2008
Cebu City on February 7, 2008
Davao City on February 14, 2008
Mega Manila on February 21, 2008
Dagupan on February 28, 2008
Angeles on March 6, 2008

Now that the local Idol brand is in the hands of a major television network, the question remains: Can GMA make it phenomenal? The possibilities are very high. Although it could collide with ABS-CBN’s 2nd season of Pinoy Dream Academy, GMA is now leading the ratings game in Luzon, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao. And the followers of Philippine Idol will certainly return in Pinoy Idol and they are certainly happy with the transfer of the show. And with the wider reach of GMA, not only nationwide but also in other countries because of Pinoy TV, Pinoy Idol will definitely gain the buzz that it needs.

How about you? Are you going to watch Pinoy Idol?