U.S. surpasses UK in online coverage of Will and Kate

LOS ANGELES | Mon Apr 25, 2011 4:34pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - America's romance with royalty is blooming, just four days away from Prince William's marriage to Kate Middleton.

The Web sites of traditional media outlets in the United States have taken a front-row seat for Britain's royal wedding, outpacing the online coverage of their U.K. counterparts, Nielsen Co said on Monday.

The royal wedding accounts for 0.20 percent of all news stories on the online versions of U.S. newspapers and magazines, compared to 0.08 percent for U.K. outlets, the research firm said.

U.S. media have devoted more coverage to the couple than media in the U.K. ever since their engagement was announced in November, when the number of online stories about their romance peaked for all news outlets.

Back then, news stories about the nuptials accounted for 0.31 percent of all online news content, compared to 0.19 percent for their U.K. counterparts, Nielsen said.

But that does not tell the whole story, because there are indications the British public remains more interested in the royal wedding than most Americans.

When Nielsen researchers looked at social media buzz, including blog posts and online message boards, the royal wedding at its peak accounted for 0.47 percent of all posts, compared to only 0.17 percent in the United States.

For media outlets and fans of British royalty, the waiting game is about to come to an end. William and Kate's wedding will happen on Friday at Westminster Abbey in London.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Dean Goodman)

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Cowell wants Paula Abdul, Cheryl Cole for 'X Factor'

LOS ANGELES | Mon Apr 25, 2011 4:04pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Simon Cowell wants his former "American Idol" sparring partner Paula Abdul and British singer Cheryl Cole join him on the U.S. version of his TV contest "The X Factor."

But the music impresario told entertainment industry website Deadline Hollywood that no deals had yet been signed to complete the line-up for the show, which is due to start airing on Fox television in September.

So far only the acid-tongued Briton himself and record executive Antonio "L.A." Reid have been confirmed as judges on "X Factor," which is offering a $5 million prize for the winner and a recording contract.

"I've always wanted Paula," Cowell told Deadline Hollywood in an interview released on Sunday.

"I've never found anyone better than her. I think there's a good chance it will be her. We've agreed we would meet with as many people as possible, and now (that) we're reaching the deadline we've got to make the decision soon. But I think she's got a really good shot," he said.

Cowell added that he would like Cole to join him, although the former Girls Aloud singer and a judge on the U.K. version of "X Factor" is virtually unknown in the United States.

"If people take to her (Cole) like the British public did, I think she's going to do really well in America. And Fox was desperate to hire her," he said.

Cowell also quashed rumors surrounding some of the many other celebrities whose names have been mentioned in the media as potential "X Factor" judges.

They include Sean "Diddy" Combs ("We didn't even approach him"); rapper Snoop Dogg ("I've never once spoken to him about doing the show"); soul singer Cee Lo Green ("We never offered him the show, and he didn't meet our producers"); and Mariah Carey (Cowell said he'd love to have her but she is focusing on the imminent birth of her twins).

Cowell said earlier this month that "X Factor" producers had "25 different opinions" about who should make up the remainder of the judging panel, and host the show.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; editing by Dean Gooodman)

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