Media buyers' primer
on 'American Idol'
A look at the Fox juggernaut's ratings through the years
By Toni Fitzgerald
Jan 12, 2010
"American Idol" had its biggest margin of victory over the No. 2 non-sports show on television ever last season, besting ABC's "Desperate Housewives" by an astonishing 72 percent.
Yet it was also the lowest-rated season of "Idol" since season one and it marked the third straight year in which viewership for the show declined.
Media buyers expect "Idol" to be the No. 1 show on television across virtually every demographic for the fifth straight year. But the show is clearly not the juggernaut it was four years ago, when it peaked with an impressive 30 million viewers.
Last year "Idol" averaged 24.9 million total viewers, according to Nielsen live-plus-same-day-DVR-playback numbers. Among 18-49s, it averaged a 9.1 adults 18-49 rating, off 27 percent from its 2006 peak.
Those numbers will likely fall a bit more this year, partly through natural erosion. "Idol" is entering its ninth season, and nearly every aging show sees its audience fall a bit each year.
But this season will be under even more scrutiny because, for the first time since erstwhile host Brian Dunkelman left after season one, "Idol" has lost an original cast member. So-called nice judge Paula Abdul left last summer after a contract dispute with Fox.
That comes after the addition of fourth judge Kara DioGuardi last season, a move that was met with mixed fan reaction.
Whether last season's ratings losses accelerate will depend partly on how fans react to Abdul's departure and the addition of her replacement, talk show host/comedienne Ellen DeGeneres, who joins the show next month.
Hanging over the show will be the specter of judge Simon Cowell's departure. He will leave after this year for "The X Factor," based on his British show.
On the day of “Idol’s” ninth-season premiere, here’s a quick look at some other things media buyers and planners need to know about “Idol.”
“Idol” finished the past five seasons No. 1 in both adults 18-49 and total viewers, but last season's ender had the lowest finale rating in the show's history, averaging a 10.0 in 18-49s. That was below even the season-one finish, which averaged a 10.8.
A recent report by Horizon Media's Brad Adgate notes that "Idol's" season eight ratings among 18-49s and teens 12-17 were the lowest since season one. And among kids 2-11, viewing has slumped 37 percent from season five to season eight.
Fox charged a reported $600,000 per 30-second ad for May’s “Idol” finale, well down from past years but still more expensive than any other finale on television.
At $500,000, "Idol" is the priciest regular-season commercial buy by a long shot, about double what the average top-10 show charges for an ad.
"Idol" was the No. 4 show in product placement during 2009, with 553 instances, according to Nielsen. That was about half the number for the No. 1 program, NBC's "The Jay Leno Show."
“Idol” reaches a desirable audience. It was the highest-rated program among 18-49s with a household income of more than $100,000 and the top-rated show among 18-49s with four-plus years of college.
What’s more, more than half of “Idol” viewers live in households with three or more people, meaning the show draws a large family audience.
It also does well among minorities. “Idol” ranked tops with Hispanic and black viewers last season in 18-49s.
The median age of “Idol” viewers has increased significantly since season one, according to Adgate's analysis, going from 31.9 years old to 44.2 last year.
Viewers are downright rabid in their devotion to the show. Last season, more than 100 million votes were cast for the season finale, in which Kris Allen defeated Adam Lambert.
Several “Idol” singers have released platinum albums, including past winners Clarkson and Carrie Underwood and season two runner-up Clay Aiken.
Clarkson and Underwood have both won Grammys, while season three finalist Jennifer Hudson earned an Academy Award for best supporting actress several years ago. A number of "Idol" alums have made Broadway appearances.
Though he finished second to Allen, Lambert has become "Idol's" latest pop culture phenomenon. He received national notice when he came out on the cover of Rolling Stone (Aiken had earlier done the same on People).
Lambert also raised the ire of conservative group the Parents Television Council for his raunchy performance on ABC's "American Music Awards" last year that included a simulation of oral sex, prompting ABC to cancel the singer's scheduled appearance on "Good Morning America."
But appearing on "Idol" doesn't guarantee success. Season five winner Taylor Hicks was dropped by his record label, and season three winner Fantasia Barrino is appearing on a VH1 reality show after rumors that she lost her house. Season two winner Ruben Studdard has also faded into obscurity after his label booted him.
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