Home : American Idol : "Idol" Ratings Down, Sanjaya to Blame?

"Idol" Ratings Down, Sanjaya to Blame?

Posted Apr 6th 2007 12:37PM by TMZ Staff

Viewership of "American Idol" has slipped compared to last season, and each episode has been watched by less people than the one before it. Is the lack of talent, embodied by Internet fav Sanjaya Malakar, the cause? Or maybe, as the show's EP would have us believe, it's the sun's fault.
American Idol
Nielsen stats show that the Tuesday performance shows are down about 10 percent compared to last season (from roughly 31 million viewers to 28). This past Wednesday night's results episode, which saw tongue-studded shrieker Gina Glocksen get the boot, was the least watched episode of the season, according to TV Week.

Idols on vacation: Click to launch galleryBut if you ask "Idol" producer Nigel Lythgoe what is causing the problem, he'll blame daylight saving time, which started three weeks earlier this year. Ratings tend to dip every year whenever the time change kicks in. "Even if we lost 50 percent of our audience, we'd still be in the top three shows in the country," Lythgoe said at a press conference on Monday. It's good to be king.

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Tags: american idol, AmericanIdol, sanjaya malakar, SanjayaMalakar

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(Page 3 of 33) Previous 15 Comments | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

31. I stopped watching because the show is a joke this year. Everyone knows that Sanjaya sucks. Just because of Howard Stern. Two Howard Sterns one a murder the other a murder of TV. What is this world coming to?

Posted at 1:08PM on Apr 6th 2007 by FYI

32. I am sick of all the Sanjaya bashing going on on all the internet sites. People need to grow up and get off of it already. If Idol is losing viewers, it has nothing to do with Sanjaya. The show has gone downhill. The judges are jerks and Ryan... don't even let me get started about him! And now they have a "cause". If they want to impress people, feed our homeless and our children. Make sure our people has medical care. No need to go to another country, when there is so much need right here.

Posted at 1:08PM on Apr 6th 2007 by hello, it's me

33. Stop blaming Sanjaya. He is the only entertainment on that boring show. When he is gone, so am I. I don't like screaming divas and the rest of these contestants are a dime a dozen at amusement parks.

Posted at 1:09PM on Apr 6th 2007 by Boredashell

34. How long do you have to wait to see you posts?

Am I double posting?

I apoligize

Posted at 1:15PM on Apr 6th 2007 by Myrtle

35. I've watched every other season, but refuse to watch this season until Sanjaya is gone. He cannot sing and I find it obsurd that he is still there while better singers are going home. If AI is fixed, then they need to do themselves a favor and fix the Sanjaya problem. I will start watching again as soon as he is gone, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Posted at 1:11PM on Apr 6th 2007 by Deja

36. Not that anyone cares, but I am a true follower of A.I. and after this week's cut of Gina and not Sanjaya - I'M DONE WATCHING!!!!!!!!! It's just wrong - he sucks!!!

Posted at 1:11PM on Apr 6th 2007 by Susan

37. FYI........What the hell HS got to do with anything????????????????????? R U CRAZY?????????????????????????????????

Posted at 1:11PM on Apr 6th 2007 by ok???????????

38. It isn't Sanjaya's fault. All the poor kid did was to try out. The judges should be blamed. Aren't they the individuals paid to select who will compete? If Sanjaya has limited talent, then what is he doing on that stage in the first place?

Posted at 1:14PM on Apr 6th 2007 by Jess

39. If ratings are down, it's because none of these "singers" are capturing anyone's attention.
I haven't been watching because this group of singers suck, period.

Sanjaya is the only reason anyone has been caring what happens on the show.

A.I. needs to stop blaming and start fixing.

Posted at 1:15PM on Apr 6th 2007 by stephanie

40. After the Taylor Hicks fiasco of course ratings are down.

Posted at 1:16PM on Apr 6th 2007 by Poo Poo

41. IF SANJYA WINS ILL NEVER WATCH THIS SHOW AGAIN...HES A DISGRACE....HES A SEMI- TALENTED WILLIAM HUNG

Posted at 1:53PM on Apr 6th 2007 by anonymous

42. Sanjaya is the only reason we watch. The rest are ho-hum. We can't stand Blake, but we don't stop watching the show because of him. We just go peepee while he sings.

Posted at 1:17PM on Apr 6th 2007 by Gosanjaya

43. Do I have to check my email EVERYTIME I POST?

Posted at 1:20PM on Apr 6th 2007 by Myrtle

44. I am officially on strike from this show until it's actually worth watching. The people left are either too cocky or untalented and don't deserve that much of my time... I'd rather watch Heather Mills.
Sanjaya has ruined it for me... Lakisha is stuck up... Melinda's facial expression are just distracting... Halie belongs at Disney World... Chris - well it's been done... Blake - at least shows a little uniqueness...Who am I missing... As Simon would say... it's forgettable.

Posted at 1:23PM on Apr 6th 2007 by SCM

45. Taylor Hicks turned me off from the show last year.
And when my friends 75 year old mom-in-law said that people her age controlled the votes for Taylor last year I believe it!
Dolittle sings well but all her songs are just to old for me.
Jordan should win, she is cute, and sings just about everything good. They need a young kid to win this thing!

Posted at 1:21PM on Apr 6th 2007 by Wed1984

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