American Idol Parent Company CEO Resigns

By On 05/07/2010 · 62 Comments · In American Idol

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Via the Associated Press

More big changes for American Idol. Robert Sillerman, CEO and founder of Idol’s parent company, CKx Inc. has resigned:

NEW YORK – The chairman, CEO and founder of CKx Inc., the media company behind hit show “American Idol,” resigned on Friday and said he is considering buying the company.

Robert F.X. Sillerman has stepped down, effective immediately. He will continue to consult for the company and plans to look into the possibility of buying CKx as well. Sillerman wants the board to be able to evaluate its strategic options, the company said.

Sillerman founded CKx and has served as chairman and CEO since it began in 2005. He is also CKx’s largest shareholder.

Director Edward Bleier has been named to succeed Sillerman as chairman and Michael G. Ferrel, a former director and president of the company, will serve as acting CEO.

Idol creator, Simon Fuller, had resigned his position at CKx a few months ago to start his own production company. Fuller is still the executive producer of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, and is currently producing the web-only show If I Can Dream.

Judge Simon Cowell and music director Rickey Minor leave Idol at the end of this season.

There’s a major survey posted over at americanidol.com.  I think the producers are planning an overhaul of the show. It’ll be interesting to see what other changes are in store in Idol in the months ahead…

 
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  • abbysee

    Dump the Save. It’s not working.

    The save makes no sense if you use it for someone who isn’t connecting with the audience. I don’t care how the contestants feel, or the judges, if you are voted off, and there was not voting irregularity, take your ass home. The fake sense of drama it causes isn’t ratings worthy, so what good is it?

    Oh, I took the survey, and if they listen to me exclusively the show will be so much better, lol. I must say I am glad that Ellen and Kara didn’t quit their day jobs, because if it were left to me, they would be the first personnel changes I would make, and Paula Abdul would have her job back.

  • sbalk017

    I just took the survey… I thought the question about what kind of theme weeks was interesting, because I realized that on paper none of them sound remotely interesting. The only question that you could actually type an answer to was to what mentors you would like to see on future shows. I wish there would have been more fill-in-the-blank stuff about the themes or the judges.

    Another thing I found interesting was that half of that survey was about the judges, guest judges, and mentors. UM HELLO I THOUGHT THIS WAS A SHOW ABOUT FINDING THE MOST TALENTED SINGERS. Please, please, please focus on the contestants. My favorite thing about the show is falling in love with their artistry and personalities. What I miss from earlier seasons is the tiny intro package when they explained why they were picking the song. It helped show off a contestant’s personality and rationale for picking a song. Three sentences. That’s like cutting Kara’s time in half. Not that hard, guys. Pick more modern, interesting, varied contestants and give them modern, interesting, and challenging themes. Don’t stack the deck with six or seven blonde WGWG’s, just pick one or two of the best ones. If a contestant is good, they will stand out (See Alli and Kris, David Cook, *insert name of favorite unpimped finalist here*)

    I wonder how (and if) our opinions are going to be affected in the years down the road. I’m in the camp that Fox isn’t going to abandon AI just yet, it still brings in a ton of money in ad revenue. Of course, this could change if X-Factor overtakes them or something.

  • larc

    I totally agree about making winning important. I think ONLY the winner should get signed by 19 . No one else including the runner up should be signed at least for 6 months or a year.

    I can agree with 19 not giving anybody except the winner a deal for six months. But it would be grossly unfair for 19 to keep a hold on Idols except the winner for that long before deciding whether they would offer them anything or not. Either sign them within the period now specified or turn them loose.

    In reality, though, 19 is in the business of making money. Should their options be limited by fickle, uninvested voters who may or may not pick a winner that 19 sees as their best chance for commercial success?

  • girlygirl

    I don’t think it would be fair o the other Idols to wait 6 months or more. The public has short memories and is known to be fickle.

    I would be in favor of not putting out albums quite so close together. It couldn’t have helped Kris to have Adam’s album be released just one week after his, and I’m sure it really didn’t help Allison to have her album released just one week after that. I would think that 2-3 months between releases would be plenty.

    I also think they shouldn’t force people to rush through making the debut album. I understand 19 and the labels want these out for Black Friday, but the quality often suffers too much. Especially when they have to record and tour at the same time. Maybe shorten the tour to say, 6 wks, and use the freed up time to concentrate solely on the albums

  • http://www.twilightslo.com Mateja

    Okay, here are my suggestions how to improve American Idol:

    1. To be quite honest, I don’t care about audition rounds or Hollywood week that much. Three full weeks of auditions? You must be kidding me! Simon is leaving, so there is no need to bother us with three weeks of bad auditions anymore. Simon won’t be there to roll his eyes.
    Cut the audition rounds to maximum 2 weeks and 1 week of Hollywood.
    My suggestion: Show some good and bad auditions in the first week (two 2-hours long shows). But don’t show any semifinalists. Introduce TOP 24 (or TOP 20) in the second week. Show their auditions and Hollywood week performances. Don’t over do it with back stories.
    Week 3: First round of the live shows. TOP 12 girls and TOP 12 guys perform separately (Tuesday/Wednesday) for 7 weeks, each week the audience eliminates 1 female and 1 male contestant. No instruments are allowed until TOP 10. When we are down to TOP 16, the show moves to the big stage. In the first 7 weeks the contestants get used to the live performing on stage, develop some stage presence and everyone (the contestants, the judges and the viewers) can focus on singing. Theme nights start at TOP 16. In the first 7 weeks, each week 4 past Idol contestants return to help the current crop.

    After 7 weeks we have our TOP 10 and from then on 1 contestant is eliminated each week . I would also rather see 3 contestants in the final instead of 2.
    Theme weeks: Need major improvement. We need more current music. Until TOP 4 night, the contestants perform only 1 song every week, but once there are only 6 or 7 performs per night (TOP 14, TOP 12), they can allow them to sing longer parts of the song. TOP 4 sing 2 songs each, TOP 3 also.

    Results shows stay 1 hour long, every week at least one former Idol contestant returns to perform + 1 or 2 other music guests for the ratings. No more group numbers, instead they show us a video from rehearsals or other notable events of the past week. Oh, and Ford commercial from TOP 16 on.

    2. Contestants: We need better and more versatile vocalists than season 9 contestants. We don’t need 20 singers-songwriters. Get some contestants with theater background also. I want the contestants to represent different styles and genres.

    3. The Judges: 4 Judges
    Replace Simon, fire Randy (9 years is enough) and Ellen (She doesn’t know enough about singing and music.) and KEEP KARA!
    Kara is the only relevant judge on AI right now. I know she can be very annoying sometimes, but her critiques can be very good. She should take over Randy’s role (sort of). I also don’t have to love all the judges, but they need to be useful.
    2nd Judge: Simon’s replacement. Label executive or someone like that.
    3rd Judge: Someone like Harry Cronnick Jr. A musician and a singer.
    4th Judge: a popstar – singer/performer type. So, basically someone like Paula Abdul. But don’t bring her back, we need someone new.

    Notes to the judges: At least in the first 7 weeks of the live shows focus on the vocals, don’t demand some huge rearrangements every week. Don’t be too harsh on the contestants at the beginning, give them some time to get used to the process. Sometimes some encouragement can do more good than harsh critique. Give some good advice. I also don’t mind if you have favorites, but be a little more subtle at least until TOP 10. Try to keep your critiques short.

    4. Stage: I understand that the color of Idol is blue, but we need more light blue on the set, because it’s so dark and cold. Try to make it a little more warm, like in seasons 4-6.

    5. Other notes: A little less commercials, more substance. Keep Ryan Seacrest. Replace the producers and the director.

    Shorter Idol tour so those that get signed can make their albums before November.

  • sr4mjc

    3 person finale vote. That would be interesting. Kind of changes the vote for/vote against mentality a bit. And the vote transfer. It would be more fanbases voting harder than other fanbases. hmm….

  • Lu

    I must say I am glad that Ellen and Kara didn’t quit their day jobs, because if it were left to me, they would be the first personnel changes I would make, and Paula Abdul would have her job back.

    Word.

  • cookcricket

    I think the idols should start out w/ EPs instead of albums.

  • tiger92

    I totally agree about making winning important. I think ONLY the winner should get signed by 19 . No one else including the runner up should be signed at least for 6 months or a year. You know like how back in the day, the winner was actually treated like the winner.

    When? Season 1?
    By season 2 , the winner and runner-up were both signed. This show isn’t about the winner- it never has been. It’s about advertising dollars.
    It’s up to the individual record companies to pick who they want to sign and how much they want to back the individual. It’s their money, so it’s their decision. I’m sure RCA is happy that they chose to invest in Daughtry instead of Taylor. Same with this past year- RCA picked the contestant they wanted and it was a wise choice.
    Releasing cds as the same time as other contestants from the same season didn’t hurt Carrie, Jordin or Cook. It’s too bad if it hurt the sales of Taylor and Kris, but that’s the way the real world works.

  • emmuzka

    I totally agree about making winning important. I think ONLY the winner should get signed by 19 . No one else including the runner up should be signed at least for 6 months or a year. You know like how back in the day, the winner was actually treated like the winner.

    I totally disagree. Winning the competition should be the most important if this would be Survivor, or Amazing Race, where you win money mostly and a possible career is just an extra. But AI is about a singing career, and no-one can FORCE the audience to support the winner’s career if they aren’t inclined to do so. The winner gets the package and a recording deal, and label’s support, and that is plenty. Trying to force the winner down the buying audience’s throats just because he/she won would be rediculous. AI is an entertainment show, voting for someone doesn’t mean that you should support the artist after the tv run.

    And the idea that the winner should be supported by keeping the other competants from releasing an album is, for my opinion, just ridiculous. After the show is over, the show is over. The singers aren’t supposed to run their careers with the AI fumes only, but as actual, viable artists. They aren’t running against each other anymore. One’s album sales shouldn’t be eating away the others.

    Or am I missing something? Are there really people who buy albums just because the artist was in American Idol? Do these people brainlessly buy the first AI album released and then forget the whole thing? And the winner should be marketed to them, or something?

  • hollygo9

    I totally agree about making winning important. I think ONLY the winner should get signed by 19 .

    I’m okay with 19 signing as many as they want to sign however, the winner should be a delux marketing package that the others do not get. Being the winner should be a big deal whether 19 got their way or not.

  • Bluelens

    Winning is unimportant but nice for TV ratings. The idols live tour puts 10 contestants onstage for 3 months. The top 3 – 5 are collectively more important than the winner. The idols bond as a group. Live on a bus for 10 weeks. No “winner” is stronger than the support the group offers to all.

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