The online entertainment sites are reporting that Jennifer Lopez will be back to judge AI this season (see for example: http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/08/20/jennifer-lopez-american-idol/). While this has been rumored much of the summer, I am a little surprised, as I had been convinced by the argument that one of AI's problems was blowing mega-millions on older skewing judges. Last year they spent about $44M on judges salaries (according to http://www.wetpaint.com/american-idol/articles/how-much-money-do-the-american-idol-judges-earn-find-out-now- Carey: $18M, Minaj: $12M, Urban: $4M, while this source estimates Jackson made $10M per season: http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/randy-jackson-net-worth/ ).
Lopez was making $20M when she was on AI. She may have agreed to somewhat less for what must be the easiest gig in the music industry (in terms of the amount of energy exerted per audience member reached) but hard to see her taking it for much less than Carey's $18M. They are going with a three-judge panel, so I guess if they can get a third judge for about the same as Urban, and pay them each something like $5M, then they are in for $28M, which right there saves them $16M. I don't care that much about this program, but I am interested in the economics of television these days. Whether it is late night talk show hosts, network news anchors or judges on singing competition shows, the value of big salaried names for attracting higher ratings is interesting. -- -- TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TVorNotTV" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
