Networks Play 'Who Wants To Exhaust A
Franchise?'
Bill Carter
The New York Times
July 7, 2003
The host is the same. The contestants are singing many of the same songs. The
show's name is even designed to make viewers think of the original.
But try as Fox might, the show in question, "American Juniors," is not
being "Idolized."
Five weeks into its summer run on the Fox network, "American Juniors,"
the talent show for the prepubescent set, is looking like a pint-sized imitation
of "American Idol," the show that inspired the format and has shared
its host, Ryan Seacrest.
"American Juniors" has lost nearly 40 percent of its audience from
its first showing, and its viewership has declined each week -- except for a
small uptick when an "American Idol" runner-up, Justin Guarini,
made an appearance. Last week, the show, which is from the same
production team responsible for "American Idol," was the lowest rated
of four reality series on Tuesday night, losing its time period to "Dog Eat
Dog" on NBC.