For a long time, installments of American Idol would hit the airwaves first for folks in the Eastern Time Zone, which was great for fans living in ET.
While viewers in ET were already voting on what they saw in the American Idol performances, viewers in PT were still waiting to see the performances.
For fans on the West Coast, however, there was no choice but to wait three hours for the installment to air in the Pacific Time Zone.
For the first time in the history of television in the U.S., a reality-competition series will simulcast to allow viewers in all American time zones to watch and vote at the same time.