American Idol Television Program

The glittering frenzy of the Paula Abdul Road Show moves swiftly through the lobby of the Universal Hilton, trailing publicists, managers, assistants and a miniature dog. At the center of the promotional sideshow -- a flashy and inescapable satellite component of the relentless publicity machine behind Fox's "American Idol" behemoth -- is Abdul, smiling as she listens closely to her minders, who whisk her from one hurried appointment to another. It's a familiar sight.

The first talent auditions for the ninth season of the Fox juggernaut "American Idol" are still two weeks away, but there is already a beauty contest going on behind the scenes. Negotiations on a new contract for Simon Cowell, the show's linchpin, chief prosecutor and animating force, are progressing quickly and could be concluded as early as this week.

The addition of a fourth judge didn't help "American Idol's" ratings. The show's two-hour Season 8 premiere on Fox on Tuesday gathered 30.1 million total viewers -- still a very impressive figure, but a decline of 10% compared with last year's premiere and the lowest "Idol" season launch since January 2004. With new judge Kara DioGuardi added to the familiar judging trio of Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, "Idol" averaged an 11.

When the producers of "American Idol" announced the addition of a fourth judge as well as various other tweaks this season, the Fox network cautioned that it didn't expect the moves to reverse the ratings declines for TV's No. 1 show. And they haven't. Through five weeks, Season 8 of "Idol" has slipped 8% compared with last season to 26.8 million total viewers and is down 14% in the advertiser-friendly demographic adults ages 18 to 49, according to data from Nielsen Media Research.

The two-part finale of hit series "American Idol," which begins tonight, is the most talked-about thing in television right now, partly because this season's contenders, Adam Lambert and Kris Allen, are exciting performers. But it's also because they have done something unexpected: Their unlikely friendship has presented America with a new vision of itself, beyond the deepest divisions of the culture wars.

The news that Paula Abdul has apparently chosen to leave "American Idol" rather than accept a salary below her asking price forces the question reality television has been dancing around for years now: What is a reliable train wreck actually worth? Abdul may have been chosen as one of "American Idol's" original judges because of her singing career -- "I've been where you are" is her default position with contestants -- but what she actually brought to the show was, well, insanity.

Television's reigning champion, "American Idol," returns this week and the talent contest is expected to be more popular -- and profitable -- than ever. The Fox show begins its seventh season Tuesday against the walking wounded. As the strike by the Writers Guild of America grinds into its 11th week, rival networks are scrambling to stay alive.

The top 12 "American Idol" contestants arrived as a group at the post-show party in West Hollywood on Thursday night, but the scrum of paparazzi left little doubt who was the object of their obsession. "David!" the photographers shouted. "David, over here!" Their desired subject was, of course, David Archuleta, anointed by no less an authority than Simon Cowell last month as the front-runner in the singing contest, now in its seventh season and still far and away America's No. 1 TV series.

Here we are, down to the top 12 of "American Idol" Season 7, and after a shaky Season 6, I'm far from alone in saying with a straight face that this may prove to be the best of all "Idol" seasons. Even the early departures of widely enjoyed candidates Danny Noriega, Kady Malloy and Asia'h Epperson last week seemed proof of the quality of this season.

In nabbing a series of high-profile awards shows from other L.A. venues over the last month, the Nokia Theatre is beginning to deliver on the promise of drawing more star power to downtown L.A. The Emmys, the ESPYs and the "American Idol" finale will call Nokia home -- creating what downtown officials and others hope will be a juggernaut when combined with the Lakers, Kings, Clippers and Grammys at Staples Center next door. (Nokia had earlier secured the American Music Awards.