No post of ours with an even peripheral mention of American Idol goes by without reader comments about how much they hate the show, or how it's destroying American television. (I had a post about the phenomenon last June)
As it turns out folks hoping for the immediate demise of American Idol will have to wait a bit longer. Through its first six shows in 2010 Idol's averaging a 10.2 rating for adults 18-49, down just 4% from last season's 10.7 rating after six shows. That's less than the overall Idol ratings decline of about 10% between 2008 and 2009.
Of course, this is Simon Cowell's final Idol season, which could both be boosting this year's ratings, and significantly depressing next year's. However, by fall 2011, Simon will be back on Fox with X-Factor, another multi-hour / week reality show.
For some viewers there's so much to hate, it's hard to know what to put at the top of the list!
I’m like to consider myself a TV snob (hah), and it might be the allure of Idol being American (me being in the UK) or simply that I get involved in the show but I honestly do love it. I watch The X-Factor UK for the watercooler talk but I hate pretty much everything about it. So it reinforces the fact that I really do love Idol. It’s format and everything. It’s odd. I hate Big Brother, and pretty much everything that’s “reality” but Idol has its charm.
Anyway, this means I’m pleased its not down much in the ratings. I’m definitely intrigued to see how X-Factor US AND Idol will play out though. Should be fun.
I think The X-Factor will replace AI, and be a monster hit. That’s what happened in the U.K.
What I don’t understand is even if its ratings DID decline 10% — so what?
It would still be drawing larger ratings than almost anything else on TV today. And other than Cowell’s salary (which is about to move onto another show) how much does it cost to produce?
People who think it’s going to be canceled anytime soon, or is going anywhere — with or without Simon — have to wake up and smell reality.
I also dont see X-FACTOR “replacing” IDOL either. Even if it nets higher ratings, Fox seems to be structuring it so X runs in the fall, IDOL in the winter. They’re going to complement one another, not run in competition.
I honestly don’t see The X-Factor necessarily taking down AI a peg. The fact that both shows are gonna be airing on the same network and at different times leads me to believe there’s gonna be a lot of cross-promotion for both shows, and in the end they’re both gonna succeed.
American Idol has been around for what… 9 years? TV business is still up and running and, the only thing that kills tv is the DVR and the internet…
How many shows has American idol or any other reality show saved? Or boosted? So I’d say American Idol is keeping the TV business on the map, not the contrary
So if you don’t like, don’t watch…
Even if American Idol is keeping the TV business on the map as others have posited, I still submit that it has killed a lot of great scripted series and for that I will always hate it. I sure do wish it would just go away. Pathetic that AI brings in such monster ratings while so many well written, well acted shows get the hook.
Amen, Gene!
I watch AI though!
I think reality shows are a blight on TV period
Well, I hate this show in particular and reality TV in general, but I don’t get the anger some people seem to have for shows they don’t like. If they replaced all the shows we think are crap with ones we think are brilliant, where would we find time to watch them all? I am currently a dedicated follower of around 10 hours worth of shows a week. I am satisfied with that, and would have trouble finding time for any more.
I know this isn’t really relevant (other than both are Fox shows) but why do you never post the ’24′ figures?
Ummm…If I had to guess, American Idol has a prettier logo.
But I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that AI blows away all the competition every week and is a ratings monster while 24 is doing decent, but not awe-strikingly.
There are figures, just find the overnight ratings for the day 24 aired.
I’m not a big fan of American Idol. I generally only watch the audition rounds and stop watching sometime during the Hollywood rounds. But, I want American Idol to remain strong simply so CBS suffers. I’m sick of CBS recycling the same tired concept over and over again so anything that causes Fox to beat CBS is a good thing in my book.
CBS clearly is not the network suffering due to Idol right now. I’d say NBC and ABC would fit that category. We saw how NCIS did against AI, i.e. held its entire audience. We’ll see how Criminal Minds does against Wednesday Idol next week (first Hollywood show I think). It’ll lose demo for sure, but probably hold fairly strong.
I suppose I count as an American Idol hater, but hate is a bit too strong. I don’t mind hearing unknowns showcasing their vocal talent. What I don’t like are the judges, the background info and personal video bits on contestants.
I also don’t like the other filler they put on the show. That’s why I barely watch it. I listen enough here and there to see which ones are good and I only listen to those contestants. Everything else I skip, including the judge comments.
A DVR is the best thing that’s ever happened to my American Idol viewing. Can get a 60 minute episode down to about 25 minutes and not miss anything. FF through stories and bs, and I can watch both the Tuesday and Wednesday shows within an hour on Thursday.
I dont begin to watch American Idol until they get to Hollywood Week/ I find the audtions of Lousy singers boring and they draw it out for too long. it is amazing that the show is only down 4% this season considering that this is their ninth season. Amazing that a show in its ninth season is still the #1 show!
Now new and improved with slightly more lamenting!
Last night’s Idol went up from a 9.1 preliminary adults 18-49 rating to a 9.5 in the finals.
well gosh the same southern white christian wins every year and they are the only ones who get their votes counted..
it’s getting old and nauseating.. all the winners look alike and the true talent (like Adam) get thrown to 2nd place.
screw idol.. it only serves dumbed down america..
glad i’ve only watched a few seasons (starting) when they were down to 4 people or less.. who can watch that crap wk after wk?
Tom, the auditions rounds are the only part of American Idol that is interesting. After they get to Hollywood it starts to get really dull. The ratings also usually decrease slightly after the auditions are over.
Re. Idol & X-Factor in the UK, they never had to compete against each other, X-Factor was designed as an actual replacement format for Pop Idol after ITV felt the brand had been irreparably damaged by Michelle McManus’ (arguable) sympathy-vote win.
The US head-to-head in 2011 will be interesting – the formats are so similar that they’ll essentially be attracting the same audience, so it’ll be folly pitching them against each other.
My *guess* is that Idol will continue to run January-May, and X-Factor will run September-December, and Cowell will give up the UK version of X-Factor, or move it to earlier in the year (given the recent Christmas No. 1 flak that might be a good strategic move anyway…)