Jan 31, 2008

 -- Local morning show host is the first to win $1000 for charity --

CTV announced today Tera Lee Flaman from Edmonton’s 96.3 Big Earl has been crowned the first Media Idol regional winner of the season. Lee beat out 10 other hopefuls who auditioned last Friday on the eve of Canadian Idol rolling into the West Edmonton Mall to kick off the national audition tour. More than 60,000 votes were cast at idol.CTV.ca to determine the first Media Idol winner.

Tera Lee played guitar and sang an original song, “That’s What Friends Are For” when she auditioned for Canadian Idol Judge Zack Werner live on her morning show, The Big Early. In addition to winning Edmonton-wide bragging rights, Tera Lee also won $1,000 for The St. Valentine’s Day Hair Massacure , an event that benefits the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation® and Make a Wish® Northern Alberta.

Tera Lee also becomes the first person to snag a spot in the 2008 Media Idol Finals that will take place this summer in Toronto, Ontario. “It was a hard fought battle, but thanks to our listeners at 96.3 Big Earl and my four fans across Western Canada , we made it happen , ” she said.

In a very successful online initiative, Tera Lee earned 39 per cent of votes cast after Canadians judged her performance on www.idol.ctv.ca . Other Media Idol Edmonton competitors included Randi Chase of The Bounce; Mike Diesel of KROCK; Tiffany Dowhan of Bonnyville’s The Goat; Adam Hamilton of Red Deer’s CKGY/CIZZ; Gary James of Joe FM; Frederick Kreotsch of Help TV; Mike McGuire of CISN; Daryl McIntyre of CTV News; Julie Phillips of CTV News; and Marty Viola of CISN. Each competitor had the opportunity to audition in front of Canadian Idol Judge Zack Werner , who provided fun feedback.

Thousands of Canadian Idol hopefuls are getting ready to sing for the Judges as the tour rolls into in Calgary, Alberta this weekend.

Canadian Idol – Calgary Auditions

February 2 & 3, 2008

Sunridge Mall – Centre Court

8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

More information about this weekend’s Canadian Idol auditions can be found online at www.idol.ctv.ca