It Doesn't Really Matter That Fewer People Are Watching American
Idol  There's much hissing about American Idol's swandiving
numbers—lowest finale ever! down 10% from last year, which was
already low!—but in this modern world, it's really nothing to
worry about. (Or, if you hate Idol, to get excited about). Idol
is still winning where it counts.  Where it counts is the margin
it wins over its competitors, a large percentage that keeps
canyoning open wider and wider as the years go on. See, ratings
numbers are in the first curling and browning stages of being
rendered useless. Because people are stopping watching
television all across the board—from Animal Planet to Zoey
101—what with DVRs and magic television-playing computers and so
much choice that one just sits staring blankly at the black
screen, overwhelmed with having to make a decision.  So it's not
the millions, whether they be 34 or 23, that are watching.
What's important is that Idol beat the number two program on the
air (Desperater Housewives) by