The drama surrounding American Idol takes on a different stance this time around with the fate of Simon Cowell, the show’s most hated and loved judge – in the air. The show has established itself on the Fox network, at least until 2011, but Cowell’s $45 million-a-year deal ends this season.
The future of American Idol is still uncertain however – although figures estimate the franchise’s value at a whopping $2.5 billion in 2007 and fetches ad revenue with an annual figure touching $500 million. The show has also won Fox the 18-49 primetime adult segment for five seasons straight, and this time around – the sixth season is more or less assured with American Idol’s success bringing in Fox as the top network of the year for the first time.
Simon Cowell is a crucial part of the show. This season could prove to be the biggest yet with Cowell’s association to the show still up in limbo.
Last year the show added on a fourth judge, Kara DioGuardi, which disrupted the usual flow of the show, and the choice to bring around 36 semi finalists slowed down the pace of the show.
Preston Beckman, Fox’s scheduling and program strategy topper said, “There is still enormous goodwill for ‘American Idol’. This show is going into its ninth season, and it is rare for a show to stay as high, and grow, as ‘Idol’ has. Now we are in a normal, natural path. There is a little shedding of the audience. But this is the kind of show we can, with the right group of 12 kids, turn the ratings around a bit.”
Though Cowell’s possible exit could make or break the show, Paula Abdul’s departure will not have much of an effect on the show – although industry experts are still unsure of how her absence could change the usual going-ons of the show. Abdul brought in a sense of unpredictability to the show as well as huge doses of emotion – and somehow, she served as ‘peacemaker’ between Cowell’s personality and Randy Jackson’s incomprehensible comments.
Ellen DeGeneres replaces her – whom folks expect to bring in doses of humour, although it is doubtful if she will make the headlines as Abdul did. DeGeneres also does not have as much music experience as Paul Abdul does.