Ryan Seacrest Reportedly Close to New 'American Idol' Deal
It looks like American Idol cpuld be coming back for Season 14, and it'll be bringing Ryan Seacrest along for the ride.
Seacrest, one of the hardest working men in show business, is close to a deal that would bring him back as host of American Idol for at least two more years. The multi-talented radio host is expected to appear at FOX's upfront presentation to advertisers in mid-May as a show of solidarity for the show.
However, Idol isn't the only thing that's in the cards for Seacrest. His successful morning radio show is expected to continue, as is an increased role with radio partner Clear Channel, which would see Seacrest helping to "build out more multiplatform programming with Clear Channel and the iHeart brand" via his Ryan Seacrest Productions. This added responsibility means he'll have to scale back his work load in other areas. For instance, his role as an E! red carpet correspondent will come to an end. More uncertain is his role with NBCUniversal, as his deal with the company expired at the end of March. Although negotiations are continuing for another producing/hosting role, it's unlikely his deal with reach the lucrative heights of his former deal, which saw him as one of the producers/hosts of NBC's The Million Second Quiz, which disappointed in the ratings last fall.
Here are further details on the turmoil via The Hollywood Reporter:
Credit: FOX
Given both his experience and his reach (a four-hour weekday radio presence, Idol and a Twitter following of 12.6 million), Seacrest is said to be fielding interest from other networks, with multiple sources noting that his reps have had exploratory discussions with rival ABC, for which he hosts Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest and produces scripted comedy Mixology. One suggests any split with NBCU would be amicable, and his production company could continue selling specials (think: E!'s Best Moments: On Air with Ryan Seacrest, airing April 23) to the network group.RSP, which he launched in 2006, has a collection of series within the NBCU portfolio already, including E!'s Kardashian franchise along with Bravo's Shahs of Sunset and E!'s Married to Jonas, and will continue to produce there and elsewhere. All of this comes as RSP looks to bulk up its output, and achieve a long-held -- and until now elusive -- goal of producing a broadcast juggernaut a la Idol. (The company's latest attempt, I Wanna Marry Harry, will roll out in late May on FOX.) To help the company get closer, Seacrest tapped veteran reality exec Eugene Young to replace his agent-turned-chief Adam Sher earlier this year.
Another area of focus that is likely to expand going forward: Seacrest's entrepreneurial efforts. In recent years, he's become increasingly active investing in media and entertainment companies through his Seacrest Global Group. Recent investments include marketing company Civic Entertainment Group as well as tech startups Pinterest, FlightCar and smartphone accessory company TYPO. He's also an investor in lifestyle and entertainment channel AXS TV with Mark Cuban, AEG and his agency, CAA, and in the fall of 2015, he'll launch a new tailored clothing collection, Ryan Seacrest Distinction, at Macy's.
So there you have it. Although American Idol hasn't officially been renewed just yet, there have been rumors that FOX is close to ironing out a new deal that will see the show return for Season 14. Nothing is for certain though, and Idol has been in ratings freefall for much of Season 13, nearing the bottom-of-the-barrel numbers of the recently-canceled The X Factor USA. But FOX apparently still sees value in the Idol brand, so a renewal wouldn't be all that surprising, all things considered, since the show still fetches valuable ad dollars. But if the show does come back, it's likely to be a scaled-back season that not only cuts costs, but also the time commitment for the viewer. Don't be surprised if the show adopts a Dancing With the Stars model of a once-a-week performance/results show. Either way, we should find out Idol's fate soon, if not within the next month or so.