ABC’s American Idol resurrection is almost upon us, but does the franchise have a future beyond Season 16, and what will it take to escape the cancellation reaper?
THR spoke to the power players to get the ratings/financial expectations needed the guarantee Idol Season 17 renewal:
Will ABC make money on the reboot? It has surely streamlined its fees, though talent salaries — $25 million for Katy Perry, a little more than $10 million for Seacrest — are as eye-popping as ever. ABC and FremantleMedia executives insist Idol will not be a loss leader. “We’re running a business here, so we certainly are always looking for things to be profitable,” says Dungey.
ABC’s ratings expectations are in line with the current climate. According to media buyers, the network is guaranteeing a 1.8 rating in the key 18-to-49 demographic, which seems achievable with seven days of delayed viewing factored in. ABC is averaging a 1.45 rating (through mid-February) in the demo, putting it in fourth place among its broadcast competitors and down 12 percent from last season. Still, media buyers have been bullish on Idol, a broad family-friendly program, and are ponying up nearly $200,000 for a 30-second spot, compared with a high of $150,000 on Fox during the last season. According to Dungey, the premiere is sold out, while the rest of the season is 75 percent sold.
Are you looking forward to Idol Season 16 on ABC? Hoping for a 17th season in 2019?
Stay tuned as we continue tracking the cancel/renew status of American Idol Season 17…
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