Despite Lower Ratings, Cash Flow Rises for ‘Idol’

Article Link: New York Times

Article Author: EDWARD WYATT

Article Date: 11-May-09

From the Article :

LOS ANGELES — Can a television show with a shrinking audience actually increase its revenue?

In the case of “American Idol,” the answer is yes, and the manner that the show’s creators are going about it could change the way that producers and broadcast networks think about the longevity of reality television programs.

“While everyone in television, from Ben Silverman, the co-chairman of NBC, to the youth-centric programmers at MTV, is trying to find ways to increase profits as television audiences decline, “American Idol” is taking its cues not from the traditional broadcasting playbook but from the National Football League.”

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