'Idol' returns with improvement in mind

NEW YORK -- "American Idol," for all its success, is not above tinkering -- especially after last year's revolving door of celebrity mentors and Sanjaya Malakar's improbable run.
Not TOO much tinkering, though. Why mess with a trusty formula?
The Fox ratings superpower returns for its seventh season on Tuesday, and will doubtless dominate January through May as it did last year and the year before that. It could even attract a bigger audience in 2008, thanks to the Hollywood writers strike.
But Nigel Lythgoe, an executive producer for the show, downplayed speculation that the lack of alternative programming as a result of the strike could equal more viewers for "Idol."
"Everyone is sort of saying that there isn't anything else on television to watch," Lythgoe told The Associated Press.
But the other networks are so intimidated by the most-watched show on American television that "they don't really schedule anything around 'Idol' anyway," he added.
"American Idol" has reached a plateau in the ratings, down only 1 percent from 2006 (30.7 million average viewers) to 2007 (30.4 million). The finale with winner Jordin Sparks was seen by 31.2 million, according to Nielsen Media Research.
That fell below the 2006 season-ender, which drew 36.6 million viewers watching Taylor Hicks claim the title in an unpredictable matchup with Katharine McPhee.
Lythgoe acknowledged that the show suffered last year when finalists failed to top the excitement and star quality of performers from previous seasons; on the other hand, he said producers erred by giving too much air time to famous mentors like Jennifer Lopez with individual projects to promote rather than delving deep into contestants' back stories to foster a stronger connection with viewers.