Talking with reporters on Thursday (May 15) morning to announce the network's 2008-09 schedule, FOX executives had to take some time to defend TV's most watched show, a little show we call American Idol.

For the 2007-08 season, American Idol is averaging nearly 29 million viewers for its Tuesday episodes and nearly 27.5 million for the Wednesday shows. That would be great news except that the show hasn't approached those levels for weeks. Thus, FOX Entertainment Chairman Peter Liguori and FOX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly are asked several times how they're feeling about the show's seventh season.

"I would say I'm satisfied creatively but not necessarily satisfied with the performance," Liguori says. "Really, this is a situation where, every season, we're able to re-set the table. I can assure you that both the network and the producers really want to take a look at the show for next year and see what we can do to inject it with new levels of energy and new levels of twists and turns and greater levels of storytelling. Yeah, I do think the show has somewhat suffered by the post-strike malaise of folks watching broadcast TV and what show's gonna suffer most in that situation? The No. 1 show."

Liguori continues, "With all that being said, we're not going to sit back and rest on our laurels, we do constantly want to make this show the most relevant, zeitgeist-y show on TV, to keep it on the tips of everyone's tongues. I'll just tell you, having spent the time with Cecile [Frot-Coutaz] and Nigel [Lythgoe] and [Simon] Fuller and the like and Darnell, everyone is really committed and actually really excited about what opportunities we think we can bring to the show next year."

Reilly chips in, "Let's put it in some context, though, a Season Seven show that's still 57 percent higher than any show on television, it's not like it's in the death throes here. I think there's a real charm to that cast, whether it's caught the world on fire or not, I don't know. Some of it's just natural maturity of a show. It's been been a phenomenon, but that doesn't mean it doesn't go through some natural aging like any other show. We'll do some of those creative twists next season and we'll see what comes out of it."

One of the things that fans will notice when they look at the FOX 2008-09 schedule is that in the spring, American Idol Wednesday results shows are currently scheduled for only 30 minutes.

"Look, planning a network schedule is a lot like planning war strategy. You spend a lot of time on it and the second the first bullet goes off, everything changes and that's what happens," Liguori says. "You have to keep some fluidity to your network. Today, at this time, that's the plan we're going to follow."

And yes, FOX has slated the Wednesday Idol results shows for only 30 minutes each of the past two years before realizing that 60 minutes of nearly 30-million viewers it twice as valuable as 30 minutes of 30-million viewers and there's no reason to expect that they won't do it again.

"That's something that we do talk about on a daily basis," Liguori says. "One of the great things about all of our management of Idol, both the producers as well as the network, we all feel that you try to hold back as much Idol as we can. Some of its scarcity is its, in fact, strength. The half-hour results show is something that's debated daily. If you have a number of people who are competitive and you wind up drawing some talent, you want to expand that show to an hour, other times you can really take care in a half hour. I would say that we're leaning towards a half-hour next year."

Comments

Replacing Paula and maybe Randy would be a good start. Not manipulating the show and playing favorites would be great and showing less audition episodes and a little more of Hollywood week would be great. But really, let's be honest. We're all going to watch no matter what they do so they probably won't tweak it that much.

3man | May 15, 2008 9:18:10 PM | #

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They really don't need to change much. I don't think it even makes sense to try. People who like the show already watch. Those who don't like it are hardly likely to check it out now. Lapsed viewers are the key--what to do to get them back.

Maybe they'll be back on their own next season. The show is still plenty popular. I like the judges but HATE Ryan Seacrest. I wish he'd get fired. More auditions! And also more of Hollywood week! The bad auditions are still my favorite element of the show, but Hollywood week needs more exposure than it got this season.

Lisa | May 15, 2008 10:59:44 PM | #

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See, I hate the auditions...It's pathetic and we've pretty much seen all the worst crap that can happen. Wow, another dude who sucks who thinks he's great. And then Simon goes Are you serious? And the guy goes What do you mean?

Been there done that.

I start watching during hollywood week but it's hardly 2 episodes.

Top 24, they're so nervous, most of them suck and disapoint.

So I say: More hollywood, less auditions. What about not picking crappy themes each week. Let the contestants sing whatever they want to sing. I sooooo don't care about music from the 70's or the 80's.

A lot of young ppl watches the show. They're 15-20. They don't care about old music. Who cares about Neil Diamond???

Have I made my point???

David | May 16, 2008 12:35:46 AM | #

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I agree with David- no more Neil Diamond, Neil Sadaka, Barry Manilow, Andrew Lloyd Weber has-been weeks. These contestants have no clue who these old farts are.

If they want young adults to watch the show they need to have artists that young adults (and old adults like me) want to see. Like Leona Lewis and Natasha Bedingfield.

Look at the charts and see who is selling CD's- those are the artists that should be having the weekly mentor shows.

Phill | May 16, 2008 7:15:18 AM | #

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Paula needs to go! Babble and blathering. I feel each season is dependent on the cast of singers, ultimately. I watch more this season than last b/c I like the Davids. Beyond that, they could learn from their other show SYTYCD; what's wrong with showing us rehearsals, and hire Cat Deealy to replace bloat-fest Ryan; at least that would get rid of that awful simon-ryan banter, sexual and otherwise.

John | May 16, 2008 9:39:09 AM | #

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Less auditions, there terrible!More Hollywood week.
Most important, limit voting per phone to the amount of contestants still performing each week.

Julie Torri | May 16, 2008 2:22:28 PM | #

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Less auditions, there terrible!More Hollywood week.
Most important, limit voting per phone to the amount of contestants still performing each week.

Julie Torri | May 16, 2008 2:22:34 PM | #

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because to actually wasn't at it is a them. and we pretty

studentboath | May 16, 2008 8:26:21 PM | #

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In my office we have 3 generations watching and all have the same opinion, the voting is out of control and rigged. Votes should be limited to per your phone # and text messages otherwise computer programs can send the voting into orbit.Also the spoiler websites won't be allowed to create havoc. We all agree the out of control voting is ruining the show along with Ryan's nasty banter, and randy's yo yo listen. at least half of us will continue to watch the remaning shows this year but won't enven tune in next year unless we hear voting methods have changed.

Maria | May 17, 2008 8:04:09 AM | #

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i LOVE american idol & have watched every season except the one where taylor hicks one b/c i was out of the country.

that said, i think this season has been fantastic (mainly b/c i think david archuleta is the most talented contestant to ever be on the show. yes i know many will disagree but that's just my opinion!) anyway what has bothered me about this season is that the SONGS ARE TOO SHORT (especially in the last couple of weeks, it feels like). just when a song starts getting good, they're cut off! really cuts back on the effect of the music which is (hopefully) why so many people are watching the show.

another pitfall of this season has been the very specific theme weeks. in prior years the themes were much broader (i.e. 70s, rather than "neil diamond). nobody wants to hear each contestant sing 2 neil diamond songs (i'm not picking on neil - same goes for all the other themes.)

and the producers' choices? it's not necessarily a bad idea but the producers were SO biased in their picks it made me sick to my stomach. david cook had a good song choice but "longer" for david archuleta? the avg age of the audience is 35-mid 40s or something like that (NOT 90!). and if i were syesha, i would be livid about getting a Happy Feet song. they did that intentionally to avoid giving her a shot at her "defining moment" (which is important as her last song of the night). i'm not her biggest fan but i think everyone should have an even shot.

those kind of stunts on the part of the producers isolate certain viewers from the show, GUARANTEE it.

bottom line: contestants need greater liberty to choose songs. the producers need to give us more of a look into the contestants lives as they used to (with clips of them throughout the week, etc... if the show needs to be a bit longer FINE, i'm sure people will watch. i know i would!) and they need to stop being BIASED! it sucks energy out of the show, the contestants, and the viewers.

melanie s | May 18, 2008 11:46:28 AM | #

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the problem with this season in my opinion was the amount of professional singers and musicians on the show (as contestants), because of that the show lost its inocence. I want to see indiscovered talent not people with record deals, that's not the point of the show.

Rob | May 18, 2008 12:50:13 PM | #

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The only problem that American Idol has is in it's voting. When they stop letting people vote as many times as they want, they will see a much tighter and surprising result show week to week. As for Paula, Randy, and Simon, there chemistry is good together, mixing it up may make for boring judges comments.

Jeff | May 18, 2008 2:55:49 PM | #

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You have to keep Paula. She is a wreck, and you never know what she will say. It would be nice if she showed a little more criticism instead of the perky compliments all the time. I also agree - make the results show shorter.

Bob | May 19, 2008 12:35:32 PM | #

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I agree with Bob's views. Keep Paula, because she is a total buffoon and it's entertaining for the most part. The one they need to get rid of is Randy! He said "sing the phone book" THREE times in the same show last week to two different contestants. He's just too repetitive to be relevant.

Tony | May 19, 2008 5:00:30 PM | #

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David Cook for the win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

David Bore-chuleta sucks!!!

rocky | May 19, 2008 5:42:43 PM | #

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Should have a limit of 1 vote. We might get the true winner. Taylor Hicks winning was a joke. There should also be some kind of verification of votes. For all we know, the producers could be picking the winner.

Bob | May 20, 2008 7:59:38 AM | #

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I noticed gardening returned pruning with a and foxes with my a real and eat

lookenglanda | May 20, 2008 11:24:20 AM | #

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1) Limit the voting by viewers to a certain amount of votes per household.

2) Knock out half of the audition shows.

3) Get Randy to STHU with his "Yo Yo Yo's" and "check it out dawg". So very annoying.

Matt | May 20, 2008 9:57:44 PM | #

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It would probably be very different if they had a separate vote for America vs Canada or other countries. Would be interesting to see how different we vote. I saw some better talent booted off during auditions than the ones that made it.

Lorri | May 21, 2008 2:40:07 PM | #

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OK, who would take who in a fight? America's Got Talent judges vs. American Idol judges. I think Sharon Osbourne has the edge in the match up against Paula.

nextcenturyman | Jun 16, 2008 9:52:56 AM | #

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