Fox tinkers to shore up its ratings

Viewership has fallen for Fox's ''American Idol,'' judged by Randy Jackson (left), Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell. (Michael Becker/FOX)

HOLLYWOOD - Fox has a lot at stake next month. Thanks in large part to "American Idol," America's most-watched show, for four straight seasons the network has been No. 1 in the ad-friendly demographic of adults ages 18 to 49 - a reign that's beginning to summon memories of NBC's extraordinary run atop prime time in the 1980s and '90s.

But the TV business is changing and so is "Idol," as producers attempt to renew the show creatively and halt a modest ratings dip last season. Fox also is unveiling two new dramas: "Lie to Me," with Tim Roth as a "human lie detector"; and Joss Whedon's latest sci-fi outing, the much-anticipated "Dollhouse."

Fox Entertainment chairman Peter Liguori and Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly recently answered questions about the challenges ahead:

Q: You're changing "Idol" at a crucial time for the show. Last year, the ratings were off, and the show's headed into its eighth season.

Liguori: Last year, we were down 9 percent. But toward the end of the season, our ratings were every bit as strong as they were the year before.

Reilly: Down 9 percent on a 7-year-old show: That becomes a headline about decline. But very few shows that age can remain that strong.

Q: Many people were surprised that you didn't put Whedon's "Dollhouse" in one of the post-"Idol" spots, instead opting for the relatively sleepy zone of Fridays. Why put such a buzzed-about show on that night?

Liguori: It's a night where there's not . . . a lot of competition. So we're able . . . to allow the show to grow.

Reilly: By nature, this show has a particular kind of audience. That's just what Joss does. You could say, why "Lie to Me" (on Wednesdays) after "Idol"? I think that's a broader show. You don't want to put in something with more of a sci-fi bent.

Liguori: We think Tim [Roth] is a breakout television character. We also feel that there's some aspiration to this show, especially in these times. This is a character and a team that is basically out to call people on their lies.

Q: On Tuesdays after "Idol," you'll have "Fringe," a show that premiered with surprisingly low numbers in early September.

Reilly: We were never worried!

Liguori: Because of baseball, we tend to premiere early. And it is swimming upstream. The general audience isn't necessarily at the ready to sit down and start their fall TV viewing.

Reilly: This year, there were two other factors involved. We had the presidential debates, which also propelled us to come on early. [And] the Olympics scored with the audience this year. It's very hard for anything else to really get any awareness.

Q: Fox's Sunday animated lineup has been relatively stable for years, but a lot of fans were disappointed to see "King of the Hill" finally retired. What was the thinking there?

Reilly: Just because "The Simpsons" has set a 20-year bar doesn't mean anything. What did we end up doing on "King," Peter?

Liguori: Thirteen seasons.

Reilly: How many shows go 13 seasons?