As you probably know, Idol’s most loved/hated judge, Simon Cowell, will be leaving Idol after this season to usher in his new show, The X Factor. Last time I was at Idol, Simon Cowell came within my arm’s reach between commercials. “HEY, HEY SIMON!” “Yes?” He replied in his recognizable British accent. “Please do not leave Idol next year.” Simon raised an eyebrow. I pleaded, “If you leave, you will kill the show.” He just chuckled and winked at me, knowing I may just be restating the most obvious fact in the world. Damn you Simon, the American Idol killer.

Fox has a lot on its hands. Not only does it have to find a replacement for Simon, Fox also has to make significant changes to the show’s format for next season to keep up with demands of a fading fan base. For the former problem, Peter Rice, entertainment chairman of the Fox Networks Group, has said,”We have to find a judge to replace Simon who provides both musical credibility and an incredible entertainment value. Anytime you have a change, it’s something you have to do right.” Ya, good luck with that one Peter.

Idol still remains television’s favorite show, but has seen its ratings drop by 8 percent this season, according to the Nielsen Co. In order to address the problem of the show’s diminishing popularity, a problem which will surely be exacerbated once Simon leaves, Fox will finally listen to fan demands for more performances by increasing the Tuesday night competition shows next season from an hour to 90 minutes. The Wednesday results show, on the other hand, will be chopped in half to 30 minutes.