No decision yet on new Idol judge

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – No deal.

That’s the word on a new judge for American Idol, as of right now.

No deal has been signed; no deal is imminent; and no deal is on the table for a new American Idol judge, Fox Networks Group entertainment chairman Peter Rice told reporters Monday at the summer meeting of the Television Critics Association.

Rice put a swift end to speculation that a deal would be announced. Talk had been growing ever since the resignation last week of judge Ellen DeGeneres. Speculation has ranged all the way from Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler to Elton John, Justin Timberlake and Chris Isaak.

Speculation has been intense, because the fate of the No. 1 show on U.S. television potentially hangs in the balance. Idol transformed the broadcast-network business when it debuted in 2003. Ratings have slipped in recent seasons, however. Initial audiences of 30 million or more have now tumbled to the 15-20 million range. The anticipated debut of Simon Cowell’s similarly themed talent-competition program The X Factor in the fall of 2011 may eat into Idol further, even though the two will air on the same network at different times of the year.

American Idol and The X Factor will air on CTV in Canada.

Rice admitted there has been a lot of speculation in the media of late, some of it accurate and much of it inaccurate.

"But I won’t get into the game of confirming or denying what’s real and what isn’t," Rice said.

Rice would not say whether judge Kara DioGuardi will return. Some websites have reported that DioGuardi has been let go.

"The only thing I can tell you with absolute truth is that no one has signed a deal who wasn’t on Idol last year," Rice said.

Rice would not say whether former Idol boss Nigel Lythgoe, now a co-executive producer and judge on the summer hit So You Think You Can Dance, will return to Idol next season.

Rice addressed the issue of whether Idol itself needs a revamp. Ratings are still strong, but the perception is that interest in Idol itself is waning.

"We have to put on a great TV show," he said. "The central conceit of the show is that someone literally stands in a line in Nashville and can have a No. 1 album eight months later, because the American public has connected with them in such an intense way. I think that’s great television. It’s interactive television. It draws huge audiences, and people have a connection with the show, which is unlike almost any other show on television.

"I think that’s something we have to evolve. I think it’s going to be an intense season. Simon’s departure is a natural evolution. I think we have to look at the show and ask ourselves how we make a great television show and continue it -_because we would love to be celebrating its 20th anniversary in 10 more years."