A new website for Pinoy Idol is now available at pinoyidol.org

April 10, 2008 - PRLog -- Pinoy Idol is the second franchise of Idol series in the Philippines (the word Pinoy is the colloquial form of the word Filipino). GMA Network promoted Pinoy Idol as "the first Idol competition in the Philippines" during its New Year's Eve 2007 Presentation, and therefore will not recognize Associated Broadcasting Company's Philippine Idol and its winner Mau Marcelo. It will be hosted by Raymond Gutierrez, with Ogie Alcasid (singer, songwriter, and record producer), Jolina Magdangal (singer and actress), and Wyngard Tracy (retired talent manager) as judges. The winner will receive P1 million, a house and lot, brand new car, a recording contract with Sony BMG Music Philippines, a television contract with GMA Network among other prizes. The show premiered on April 5, 2008.

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 not only because of his previous connections with ABS-CBN, but also because he accepted the offer to appear in Pinoy Dream Academy's second season as its new "headmaster".

Eventually, Pilita Corrales and Francis Magalona, who were judges from Philippine Idol with connections to GMA Network, were not selected to reprise their jury duties in Pinoy Idol as those roles were given to Alcasid, Magdangal, and Tracy. Hosting chores were given to Raymond Gutierrez. Veteran TV host Paolo Bediones and singer-actress Regine Velasquez were considered for the role as Pinoy Idol host, but were rejected due to being overaged under Idol franchise standards. Additionally, FremantleMedia personnel did not want a singer like Velasquez to host the show so as not to take attention away from the eventual finalists. Meanwhile, GMA does not recognize Philippine Idol winner Marcelo as the first-season winner although her runners-up Jan Nieto and Gian Magdangal are both part of GMA's roster. As their preparation for Pinoy Idol, GMA Network shelved all of their other talent search programs such as Celebrity Duets: Philippine Edition, Pinoy Pop Superstar, and StarStruck. Meanwhile, FremantleMedia has given GMA Network the right to broadcast Pinoy Idol on its U.S. cable channel GMA Pinoy TV.

A new website for Pinoy Idol is now online at  pinoyidol.org, this site has forum, news, blog, chat, video and photo for Pinoy Idol.