Randy Jackson, the lone judge still standing from the original incarnation of “American Idol,†may be moving into a lower-profile mentorship role as the Fox singing competition makes sweeping changes to its lineup.
Fox declined to comment on Friday on reports from TMZ and other Web sites that Mr. Jackson was leaving the judge's table. TMZ said he was expected to become a mentor to contestants on “Idol,†the television juggernaut that is entering its 12th season.
Mr. Jackson has been a judge on “Idol†since the series premiered in the United States in 2002. It quickly became the highest-rated entertainment show in the country and a major force in pop culture.
The other two original judges of “Idol,†Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell, left in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Since then a number of others have briefly sat in the seats, including Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, both of whom exited at the end of the 11th season last spring, leaving Mr. Jackson as the sole judge.
Fox and the producers of the show are now rebuilding the judge lineup person by person. Earlier this week, E! News reported that a former executive producer of “Idol,†Nigel Lythgoe, was going to return to produce the new season.
Like other shows entering their teenage years, “Idol†has suffered declines in the ratings in recent years. The decline was especially severe last spring.
In the months since the May finale, names of possible new judges have surfaced on a regular basis. Only one, Mariah Carey, has been confirmed by Fox.
The pop star Nicki Minaj and the country singer Keith Urban are also reported to be in the mix. But Fox and the producers have been mum about the possibilities, preferring only to comment once the deals are signed. They can't wait too much longer: singer auditions for the next season usually start at the end of Sep tember or the beginning of October, ahead of a January premiere.
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