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Tech Company Offers To Carry State's Tune Contest

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By GRETCHEN PARKER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 24, 2007

TAMPA - Hopes are renewed that Florida's state song contest will be able to pull off an "American Idol" style finish, with nominations broadcast - and votes cast - via the Internet.

Agile Communications Group of Tampa has offered to run a free Web site for the contest that would let listeners vote online for their favorite of three finalists. The wireless technology company envisions an even splashier climax, by offering Floridians the chance to vote by text messaging.

Organizers of Just Sing, Florida! told The Tampa Tribune last week that their nonprofit agency, Florida Music Educators' Association, is committed to the contest but can't afford to design a Web site for tallying votes. Agile's leaders saw the story and reached out to the group.

The music educator association, which operates mainly with dues and fees paid by music teachers, is optimistic now that a Web site could soon be in the works, executive director James Perry said.

As of Monday, more than 100 nominations for a new state song had been delivered to the association, which will narrow the candidates to a final three. The postmark deadline is Oct. 1.

Ultimately, a finalist will be written into a bill for consideration by the Legislature next year.

Sen. Anthony Hill, D-Jacksonville, is leading the effort to retire Florida's current state song, widely known as "Swanee River," because of its racial undertones.

The vision has been to pick the finalist by some kind of popular vote.

Hector Perez, project manager for Agile, said voting by text message would widen the audience for the contest and pique the interest of younger Floridians.

"You could exponentially increase the interest," he said.

For more information on the contest, go to www.justsingflorida.org. Or call 1-800-301-3632.

Reporter Gretchen Parker can be reached at gparker@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7562.

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