MANILA, Philippines??American Idol? is still the most popular show on US television, but its producers are frankly worried because after seven hugely profitable seasons, its viewership figures have dropped by seven percent. That may not look so bad, but to TV producers, any diminution in popularity is cause for concern, if not distress.

So, we hear that ?Idol? producers have been polling viewers to find out what adjustments they would want to see in the show. Some people warn, ?If it ain?t broke, don?t fix it,? but others observe that the program?s ?improvable? elements include its hosts and its early focus on the audition of weird non-talents.

The hosts are criticized by some for ?wasting? too much airtime with their cheeky banter.

Also, there?s the feeling that they differ too much in their opinions. Aren?t judges supposed to set a more objective standard to guide viewer-voters?

Weird contestants

The show?s fetish for ?weird? and untalented contestants during audition has also become a turn-off, despite the fact that a lot of viewers enjoy seeing loopy people making fools of themselves to get their 15 macro-seconds of ?fame.?

What?s unsavory about it is that it encourages the non-talents to be ridiculous, and the show?s viewers to be mean-spirited. It also deflects the viewing public?s attention from the genuinely talented singers in the competition, which should be the program?s prime focus.

Among the variations initiated this year was the decision to encourage finalists to integrate other musical talents in their performances. Mostly, this has consisted of finalists accompanying themselves on the piano, guitar or other instruments.

In general, however, this has tended to detract from rather than enhance the young finalists? vocal performances, because it shifts part of their focus away from their singing. And a number of the finalists? instrumental skills aren?t all that terrific, so mediocrity rather than excellence sometimes rules.
Another adjustment with mixed results is the use of star singers as the finalists? mentors and coaches. The star power involved does add to the show?s viewer appeal, but many of the star-mentors are too kind in their comments to be of much actual help to the young contenders.

In addition, source of the tilt?s weekly musical themes have unfairly worked against some of the finalists.

For instance, when the songs of Dolly Parton were the music of choice one week, the tilt?s male finalists had a hard time wrapping their voices around the star singer?s idiosyncratic songs.

Guests and mentors

Any other bright ideas? If ?Idol? does have a predominantly youthful viewership, singing guests and mentors next season should be similarly young. And the hosts should come up with clearer and more helpful critiques ? enough of the ?too pitchy,? ?too karaoke,? ?bad song choice,? and ?invest more of yourself in your performance? knee-jerk comments, please.

One change the show should not make is to get another program host. It?s turning out that Ryan Seacrest, who started out as Simon Cowell?s favorite whipping boy and target for his scathing remarks, has developed into one of the show?s strongest and most attractive personalities.

He?s done this by generally siding with the finalists ? who, reeling under Cowell?s scorching criticism, need all the help they can get to sustain their self-confidence.

Since televiewers empathize with the young finalists, they?re grateful that Seacrest is siding with them, and he thus gains plus points with viewers, as well. So, Seacrest has become, in Randy Jackson?s trendy words, ?the bomb.?