Even after "American Idol" finally goes off the air, "it will have left behind a playbook for how a network and its affiliates can work together to further the connection with the local market,
discover ancillary revenue and attract viewers at the same time," writes Michael Malone in
Broadcasting & Cable. Not that the 10-year-old franchise is going away just yet -- its
producers are currently working "to rediscover its voice." But Malone provides a detailed case history of what affiliates do to make the show feel more like a local than a national one -- including
holding local auditions for possible contestants.
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