American Idol, in it's 12th season, is competing for viewership with The Voice and The X-Factor. This day and age, each show is heavily incorporating social media into every aspect of the show.
In the fall, X-Factor allowed viewers to tweet contestants to vote/pick their outfits for a particular show, letting viewers feel in control. Idol is taking a similar step by letting viewers vote on the theme of the show for a week. I believe that letting the viewers "choose" the theme gives them a sense of control over the show. This institutes a feeling of ownership - "my show" or "my theme got chosen for Idol," creating loyal viewers. Much like businesses want loyal customers, producers want loyal viewers. These loyal viewers are likely to "return" (watch future season), as well as "make referrals," (get their friends to start watching). Focusing on these things can increase viewership for the current season and future seasons, which is critical to the show's success.
I think this is TV's way of keeping our attention. Without engaging viewers through social media, no one would pay attention to these live events like we used to. Much like the Grammy's and their incorporation of social, American Idol places suggested hashtags at the bottom of the screen during performances to engage the audience, and has campaigns like viewers picking the theme to keep viewers engaged on days the show isn't airing.
We all know that Idol isn't the same show it used to be back when Kelly Clarkson won, but like many television shows and airings, they must keep up with social and find different ways to engage the audience each week. Allowing viewers to pick the theme is an interesting way to do this, and I am eager to see the results.
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