Initial ratings show interest is down in “American Idol” and its new team of judges.
The Nielsen Co. says 26.2 million people saw the two-hour season premiere Wednesday night of television’s most popular show. That’s down 13 percent from the 29.9 million people who saw last year’s season debut.
Nielsen said Thursday it was an even steeper ratings drop of 18 percent among the youthful audience the Fox network desires.
Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler were on for the first time as judges, their style considerably nicer than Simon Cowell, who has left the show.
A Fox executive said the network is pleased there is still so much interest in the show and that chatter on social media about the new hosts seemed mostly positive. The executive spoke on condition of anonymity because the network isn’t commenting publicly on the numbers.
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The show’s ratings also grew during each of its four half-hours, Nielsen said.
Meanwhile, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. says he was “thoroughly disgusted” by the show’s depiction of the Bronx. The final contestant was a 16-year-old boy from the Bronx who had lived briefly with his family in a homeless shelter.