Is Howard Stern to blame for America's Got Talent's sharp decline in viewer figures? People need somewhere to point the finger of blame and Howard's curly-haired head is an obvious destination for that finger. On closer inspection though, Stern's reputation as a 'shock-jock' radio host may have turned some people off the idea of tuning in to the programme but it would seem that the show's producers also have a lot to answer for.
Howard Gensler, writing for Philadelphia Daily News, has torn into the content of this year's show, it's emphasis on the million dollar prize and the grotesque mob-like nature of the show's audience which will, of course, have been encouraged by the producers. The proof of the show's decline in popularity has been in the dropping viewer figures. In comparison to last year's season of America's Got Talent, the current series started off with a 30 per cent deficit in viewer figures. This week, Monday night's episode (May 21, 2012) lost a further 10 per cent. The show's producers will have to endure a tense wait to see whether or not that was due to the House finale grabbing a chunk of their audience, or whether it is simply a sign of how things are going for the show.
The recent suggestion from New York Daily News that the show's producers have been caught out for lying to 7 year old rapper Mir Money will not be doing their reputation any good. If figures continue to decline as they have been, it's likely that they'll be resorting to shock tactics as the competition heats up, just to keep hold of the viewers that they still have left.