Björn Sigurdsson, programming director for Icelandic television channel Skjár 1, says that the number of Icelanders casting votes in connection with American TV show Rock Star Supernova tripled last night as compared to the show’s first week. This is reported by Morgunbladid online.

In the reality TV show Rock Star Supernova, a rock band – Supernova – searches for a frontman- or woman. One of the six remaining contestants, Magni Ásgeirsson, is Icelandic, and consequently the Icelandic nation has been gripped by veritable Supernova-fever. The live weekly broadcast of the show is in the early hours of Wednesday in Iceland, hence not many people stay up to vote. However, with Magni in the remaining six, and having landed in the bottom three for the past two weeks, a massive campaign urging Icelanders to vote between 2am and 6am this morning was launched during last week. Both telecommunications companies in Iceland reduced their rates for SMS votes from ISK .99 to ISK .19, and in east Iceland, Magni’s home turf, a tent was set up with a large screen and wireless Internet connection, people were urged to bring their laptops and cast their votes after the live broadcast, and the secondary school in the area gave students the first period off this morning so they could recuperate from their lack of sleep.

The outcome of the voting and whether Magni Ásgeirsson remains in the running will be revealed during a live broadcast in the early hours of tomorrow morning.