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The $2.5 billion Idol juggernaut

Email|Link By mwelch January 9, 07 10:32 AM

Here it comes. January 16th is the launch date for the next American Idol. AdAge is calling the show a juggernaut and aptly so. With a franchise valued at $2.5 billion, American Idol brings in $500 million a year in TV ads and has over 40 licensees. Get ready for Idol chocolate, ice cream, Monopoly and even an Idol theme-park attraction. This year sponsors are focusing on interactivity with Coke inviting viewers to submit questions for contestants and Cingular allowing downloads of specific performances. In fact, the entire program will stream online after each episode airs in an attempt to keep the heat. Last time executives checked, YouTube had about 32,000 Idol clips - all illegal.