• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, May 16, 2008

Fox officials attribute "American Idol's" ratings drops this year--including an all-time low May 6--to a range of factors. But that hasn't stopped top executives from saying they are committed to revivifying it next year.

 

Peter Liguori, Fox's entertainment chairman, said Thursday that a creative analysis needs to take place, but "both the network and the producers really want to ... see what we can do to inject it with new levels of energy and new unpredictable twists and turns, and greater levels of storytelling."

Liguori's dissatisfaction marks the second season in a row in which executives have found themselves missing the lightning rods that powered the show over its first five seasons. Last year, Rupert Murdoch, the head of Fox parent News Corp., said the show suffered from a lack of charismatic, magnetic "characters" it entertained in the past.

(One area Liguori said was not a ratings factor this season was offbeat behavior from judge Paula Abdul, although no change would be made. "We love Paula; she's coming back," he said.)

But Liguori said on a call to announce Fox's schedule for next season that "Idol"--as with most reality shows--allows for flexibility to "re-set the table" with format and other executions. "We do constantly want to make the show the most relevant zeitgeisty show on TV," he said.

ALthough serialized dramas seem to have suffered the most, due to viewer defections post-writers' strike, Liguori said "Idol" may also be impacted. "I do think the show has somewhat suffered by the post-strike malaise of folks watching broadcast TV," he said.

Executives also allowed that shows naturally go through a wax-wane experience; as seasons go forward, viewer interest lessens.

In the 18-to-49 demo, "Idol" ratings for the Tuesday edition this season are down nearly a rating point, from a 12.2 in 2007 to an 11.3. (The numbers include DVR viewing.) Wednesday ratings have suffered more dramatically, falling from a 12.4 to a 10.7.

Both shows last year averaged more than 30 million total viewers--an inflection point in network TV. This year, however, they are below the threshold. On Tuesday, May 6, the show suffered its worst rating since season one (2002), with an 8.4 in 18-to-49 "live plus same day" numbers.

Fox's contract with "Idol" producers gives it the option to continue airing the show through 2011--likely a no-brainer. The network pays a per-episode license fee to producers 19 Entertainment and FremantleMedia, which increases each season. There are also provisions in the contract in which Fox pays bonus fees, based on ratings performances and the number of episodes produced.

Fox pays the contracts of the show's host and three judges.