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May 24, 2007
Ratings hit a sour note
The ratings numbers for last night's "American Idol" finale are crashing in, and the show's producers are probably scowling and growling right about now.
That's because Nielsen Media Research's figures support a somewhat troubling trend for Season 6 of TV's most-watched show.
Fans just didn't seem as enamoured of this year's singing competition.
Check it out: Nielsen says 30.7 million Americans tuned in for the final show, compared to 36.4 million last year. The Associated Press quoted TV industry observers saying "chances are that the 2006 season will stand as the peak for audience interest."
And, that was with last year's winner Taylor Hicks "soul-patrolling" on the Season 6 finale! (Since the show debuted in 2002, Season 5 is the most successful in terms of viewership and voting.)
That's still a boatload of viewers. However, producers have blamed the malaise on everything from an earlier switch to Daylight Saving Time to college basketball - to people taking late-night walks (just kidding on the last one).
But last night also posed a problem for folks with digital video recorders. That's because the live broadcast - scheduled for 8 to 10 p.m. - ran nine minutes over. So, unless you had amazing psychic powers, you wouldn't have known to program your DVR to pack on some extra minutes.
In fact, postings from irritated viewers were popping up all over the place today, including this one at www.televisionwithoutpity.com: “I was smart enough to program my DVR to go over by five minutes, but not smart enough to go for 10 minutes.”
By late today, the L.A. Times reported that Fox had issued a statement apologizing to viewers who missed the end of “Idol.”
It read, in part:
“We’re sorry that DVR users may have missed the conclusion. It was always our intention to bring the show in on time, but just as with any live sports, variety, awards or entertainment event, there is no way to absolutely guarantee that the show will end exactly on the hour. Fox and the producers apologize to those viewers who were inconvenienced.”
OK, so the Academy Awards almost always run over. So get over it.
A look back at last night's network line-ups indicate there shouldn't have been problems from either NBC or CBS. However, ABC was fearless, putting up back-to-back "Lost" episodes (from 8 to 10 p.m.), including the show's season finale, which aired opposite "Idol's" last hour.
No question, "American Idol" still ruled the ratings this season, and there's no need to start wringing hands and watching "National Bingo Night," but ... the numbers this year are getting dangerously close to the figures for Season 4.
What does this mean? It could possibly give hope to other networks to come up with something to knock "Idol" off its ratings pedestal, or they'll wait to see what happens during Season 7.
No matter, "Idol" is scheduled to air through 2011 - or until Simon Cowell runs out of T-shirts.
Posted by Leigh Grogan at May 24, 2007 04:42 PM
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