The X Factor

How the Format Works

The process of choosing a winner is a little more circuitous than it is on "American Idol." Here's how it all works: Auditions occurred in six cities in May and June of this year, where the judges (before a live audience) selected contestants to move on ... moreto a semifinal round. This boot-camp round, held in Los Angeles, is where the judges, again working in front of a live audience, narrow the pool of hopefuls to 24. From here, the judges get assigned a group of six contestants, each pooled into one of four categories (young guys, young girls, older singers and groups), and begin reducing their own groups to three. This round is called the Judges' Houses round, since they will be taped on location at the judges' (purported) residences. This group of twelve (three from each judge) are the finalists, who then move on to live performance episodes, which are judged by viewers.

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(FOX)