Remember when American Idol was that show that everyone watched and then discussed the next morning? Think hard, remember back then? Well the last several seasons have been pretty lousy for a whole host of reasons and while this year’s on-air talent seems slightly better, the show is still going to lose a chunk of cash. Obviously after last season it was obvious that changes needed to be made and those changes included spending at least 5 million on a new set and paying off the two massively over-payed producers who were thankfully fired last year.
Bringing Jennifer Lopez back to the judges table cost FOX $15 million which is about what Ryan Seacrest is also paid. Now factor in the reality that the shows’ ratings are still down 26% from last season and that means that advertisers aren’t exactly anxious to buy time on what still is perceived to be a sinking ship. For the first time ever American Idol will lose money this year. Ironically, it will probably still come back for another season, not because it deserves the time spot, but because X Factor was canceled. FOX can only lose so many shows at a clip and it still needs something to try and compete with NBC’s The Voice, so Idol is the best bet, for now.
Have you been tuning in to American Idol this season? What are your thoughts? Has it improved or is it simply a lost cause? Do you think that the show should return or should X Factor been given one more shot next season instead? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!