NBC in Talks to Revive ‘American Idol’

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Just one season after it concluded its long run comes word that NBC, and not Fox, is in talks with Fremantle Media to revive “American Idol.” There is no news on who would be returning, or when it would potentially run, but one rumored option would be for NBC to trim “The Voice” from two to one edition per season.

Debuting on June 11, 2002, two weekly editions of “American Idol” led the rankings for years, but erosion took its toll and by its 15th – and final – season in 2015-16 averaged in the vicinity of 9-million viewers per week. At a session on the final season of “American Idol” at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour in 2016, host Ryan Seacrest hinted it may not be the official end of the franchise.

“The numbers look great this season. They look really good. And I think that we are all pleased that people are watching and some are coming back to watch this show who maybe didn’t watch the show the last couple of years,” he said. “When you’ve got a franchise that has this kind of heritage and you’ve got a franchise that generates X amount of millions of people if it sustains, does that mean it’s the end? I’m not so sure.”

Stay tuned.