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‘American Idol,’ ‘The Voice’ finale ratings drop

By WTOP Staff

DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — A sharp decline in viewers for the season finales of “The Voice” and “American Idol” this week raises the question of whether music competition shows on television are fading out.

The year’s final “American Idol” on Fox Wednesday was seen by fewer people than any Idol-crowning moment since the series began in 2002. “The Voice” has bypassed “American Idol” in popularity, yet Tuesday’s season-ending episode was down 25 percent from the 2013 finale, the Nielsen company said Thursday.

“Perhaps the viewing tastes have changed, have evolved,” said Brad Adgate, a TV analyst for Horizon Media. “There are ebbs and flows as to what is a popular programming genre or not and it seems like music competition shows have run their course. Particularly younger viewers are looking for what’s next.”

Fox has already cancelled Simon Cowell’s “The X-Factor” for next year. The ratings slide for “American Idol,” this year with judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr., has been well-documented but is particularly stark when looking at finales for the past few years.

Wednesday’s show, where North Carolina rocker Caleb Johnson became the season 13 champion, was seen by 10.1 million viewers, Nielsen said. The season finale reached 14.3 million people last year, 21.5 million in 2012 and 29.3 million in 2011. That’s down 66 percent in three years.

This year’s show had a 9 share among viewers aged 18-to-49, meaning 9 percent of viewers in that age group watching TV at the time were watching “Idol.” The show’s peak was in 2006, when 36.4 million people watched the finale, which had a 36 share among younger viewers.

Fox has taken the show’s downfall into account in scheduling, saying it will air fewer hours next season and in many weeks only one episode instead of two.

“‘Idol’ is not going to come back to be the ratings champion it once was,” said Kevin Reilly, Fox’s entertainment chief. “But we believe the show can be on for many years to come.”

“The Voice” decline is in some ways more alarming, because it has been a linchpin in NBC’s comeback since starting in 2011. Tuesday’s finale, where Usher team member Josh Kaufman won the top prize, reached 11.7 million viewers. That’s down from the 14 million who saw the conclusion of the last competition in December, and the 15.6 million who watched last spring.

Jeff Bader, NBC’s top scheduling executive, said “The Voice” had stiffer competition this week than last year, when the season ended in June.

NBC has not changed its pattern for “The Voice” next season, expecting to air two episodes each week and separate competitions in the fall and spring. Bader said he expects having Gwen Stefani and Pharrell replace Shakira and Cee Lo Green as judges will invigorate the show.

He said it’s too early for NBC to consider cutting back on the show’s hours. NBC will no doubt want to see how decreased competition in the genre, with no “The X-Factor” in the fall and fewer “American Idol” hours in the spring, will help “The Voice.”

“It’s not a genre thing,” Bader said. “There has been speculation about people losing interest in these shows for about a decade now.”

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David Bauder can be reached at dbauder@ap.org or on Twitter@dbauder. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/david-bauder .

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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