'American Idol' Hits 5-Year Ratings Low, Over-Reaction ABounds

oscardahl · 05-02-2008, 03:09 AM

American Idol will be fine. Let's get that out of the way first. At least for the next couple seasons, American Idol will continue to grace the shameless and oft Moment-of-Truthed airwaves of the FOX Network. The shows is still the biggest one on television. That being said, the ratings have been slipping on a consistent basis, and there is certainly reason for the American Idol producers to worry. On Wednesday, American Idol received its lowest ratings in five years with “only” 22.1 million viewers, down 1.2 million from its previous five-year low, which was set last week. It's a troubling trend, indeed, and speaks to the fans' disappointment with this season.

To read the rest, click here.

justcuzifeltlikechangingthis · 05-02-2008, 11:00 AM

Maybe it's just because TV watching is down in general because of the writers strike earlier this year/ I do how like the idea of blaming the annoying David Archuleta and his equally annoying fans

SueBrody2 · 05-02-2008, 11:05 AM

I don't buy it. I'm not an Archuleta fan (or his dad, in particular), but I AM a huge David Cook fan, and I'm both watching and voting. NOW, if David Cook gets voted off before the final, it won't really matter in the sense that I will no longer watch, and neither will a lot of others I know. *Then* we'll see how the viewers really feel.

HefDeezy · 05-02-2008, 11:06 AM

Are you seriously trying to blame the slide in ratings on Archuletta? Wow, you must really hate him. My theory is that, much like last year, the show is getting boring. The new cast members -- ALL of them -- are uniformly boring, with rare exceptions. On top of that each week is trotting out an exceptionally narrow them based around promoting some out of date singer/songwriter. The results are bland people singing dull songs. Who wants to watch that? If anything, I'd blame the decline in Idol Gives Back, which feels like the point the show decided it'd focus more on the judged and guest celebrities instead of interesting performers.

TheEditor · 05-02-2008, 11:15 AM

I agree that this is a total non-story. Lowest ratings ever, and still number one, it's a bit like being the shortest giant: you're still taller than normal people. I also blame the contestants, because there's no one to get excited about and no compelling story. The show said this season they were going to focus more on highlighting the contestant's personalities. Um, what can anyone tell me about DavidA other than that he has a baby fat face and nervously giggles all the time? I don't know or care about any of these people, and that's because the Idol producers would rather make Ford commercials and pimp themselves, the charity special, and SYTYCD than actually try to introduce America to these people.

JazzyJake · 05-02-2008, 11:16 AM

The show has gotten bad. This from a former fan. Here're my top reasons why:

1) The contestants just aren't very good. Period. Exclamation point ! The group-sings alone show the lack of singing skills.

2) They tried to rig this year's competition with semi-pros and other less-than-amateur contestants and it backfired. They also seem to have valued personality over ability and have turned the show into a beauty contest - vaguely defined.

3) The jugdes are tired of it. None give any technical evaluations, just platitudes, inanities and cliches.

4) Related to your point: many viewers - like me - are rejecting an ersatz competition on which the performances are simply irrelevant and the judges are biased.

5) Too much show and not enough action, the self-promotion is too much.

6) The geezer theme weeks are irrelevant to almost everyone.

An overhaul is warranted starting with limiting repeat voting.

JazzyJake · 05-02-2008, 11:28 AM

By the way Oscar, I respectfully disagree with you: if viewers perceive that the show (not just the judges) is biased towards certain contestants, and the results seem to bear that out, then they are bound to tune out. No one wants to participate in an unfair competition.

JazzyJake · 05-02-2008, 11:32 AM

I actually think the writers' strike helped Idol by reducing the competition.

NotaTeenageGi2 · 05-02-2008, 11:56 AM

What American Idol needs to do - is to limit the amount of times that someone can vote from one phone number - In the show Last Comic Standing - they have had a limit of 3 votes from any one phone number. If AI did this - possibly we could actually get who are the best singers - instead of the person that is voted for continuously for the entire 2 hours after a show ends. The Next best thing they could do - is to let the Singers sing the genre that they sing - instead of making them sing showtunes, etc.

carjean · 05-02-2008, 11:58 AM

Maybe the Wed. night show ratings are down because it's more exciting to sit at the computer and read your blow by blow commentary of the results show. It's way more fun than watching the Ford commercial....I truly have no real life!
Anyway, it's a theory.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

05-02-2008, 03:09 AM	#1
oscardahl Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: , , . Posts: 1,449,703	American Idol will be fine. Let's get that out of the way first. At least for the next couple seasons, American Idol will continue to grace the shameless and oft Moment-of-Truthed airwaves of the FOX Network. The shows is still the biggest one on television. That being said, the ratings have been slipping on a consistent basis, and there is certainly reason for the American Idol producers to worry. On Wednesday, American Idol received its lowest ratings in five years with “only” 22.1 million viewers, down 1.2 million from its previous five-year low, which was set last week. It's a troubling trend, indeed, and speaks to the fans' disappointment with this season. To read the rest, click here.

05-02-2008, 11:00 AM	#2
justcuzifeltlikechangingthis Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 97	Maybe it's just because TV watching is down in general because of the writers strike earlier this year/ I do how like the idea of blaming the annoying David Archuleta and his equally annoying fans

05-02-2008, 11:05 AM	#3
SueBrody2 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 185	I don't buy it. I'm not an Archuleta fan (or his dad, in particular), but I AM a huge David Cook fan, and I'm both watching and voting. NOW, if David Cook gets voted off before the final, it won't really matter in the sense that I will no longer watch, and neither will a lot of others I know. Then we'll see how the viewers really feel.

05-02-2008, 11:06 AM	#4
HefDeezy Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 45	Are you seriously trying to blame the slide in ratings on Archuletta? Wow, you must really hate him. My theory is that, much like last year, the show is getting boring. The new cast members -- ALL of them -- are uniformly boring, with rare exceptions. On top of that each week is trotting out an exceptionally narrow them based around promoting some out of date singer/songwriter. The results are bland people singing dull songs. Who wants to watch that? If anything, I'd blame the decline in Idol Gives Back, which feels like the point the show decided it'd focus more on the judged and guest celebrities instead of interesting performers.

05-02-2008, 11:15 AM	#5
TheEditor Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,051,191	I agree that this is a total non-story. Lowest ratings ever, and still number one, it's a bit like being the shortest giant: you're still taller than normal people. I also blame the contestants, because there's no one to get excited about and no compelling story. The show said this season they were going to focus more on highlighting the contestant's personalities. Um, what can anyone tell me about DavidA other than that he has a baby fat face and nervously giggles all the time? I don't know or care about any of these people, and that's because the Idol producers would rather make Ford commercials and pimp themselves, the charity special, and SYTYCD than actually try to introduce America to these people.

05-02-2008, 11:16 AM	#6
JazzyJake Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 233	The show has gotten bad. This from a former fan. Here're my top reasons why: 1) The contestants just aren't very good. Period. Exclamation point ! The group-sings alone show the lack of singing skills. 2) They tried to rig this year's competition with semi-pros and other less-than-amateur contestants and it backfired. They also seem to have valued personality over ability and have turned the show into a beauty contest - vaguely defined. 3) The jugdes are tired of it. None give any technical evaluations, just platitudes, inanities and cliches. 4) Related to your point: many viewers - like me - are rejecting an ersatz competition on which the performances are simply irrelevant and the judges are biased. 5) Too much show and not enough action, the self-promotion is too much. 6) The geezer theme weeks are irrelevant to almost everyone. An overhaul is warranted starting with limiting repeat voting.

05-02-2008, 11:28 AM	#7
JazzyJake Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 233	By the way Oscar, I respectfully disagree with you: if viewers perceive that the show (not just the judges) is biased towards certain contestants, and the results seem to bear that out, then they are bound to tune out. No one wants to participate in an unfair competition.

05-02-2008, 11:32 AM	#8
JazzyJake Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 233	I actually think the writers' strike helped Idol by reducing the competition.

05-02-2008, 11:56 AM	#9
NotaTeenageGi2 Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1	What American Idol needs to do - is to limit the amount of times that someone can vote from one phone number - In the show Last Comic Standing - they have had a limit of 3 votes from any one phone number. If AI did this - possibly we could actually get who are the best singers - instead of the person that is voted for continuously for the entire 2 hours after a show ends. The Next best thing they could do - is to let the Singers sing the genre that they sing - instead of making them sing showtunes, etc.

05-02-2008, 11:58 AM	#10
carjean Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 55	Maybe the Wed. night show ratings are down because it's more exciting to sit at the computer and read your blow by blow commentary of the results show. It's way more fun than watching the Ford commercial....I truly have no real life! Anyway, it's a theory.