Do You Really Want To Win?

Forbes magazine has a piece up about the mechanics of American Idol exposure for those who compete. Particularly of interest is the cut that producer Simon Fuller's production company takes from contestants' subsequent record sales, which is upwards of 50% when the industry standard is 15%. Further, contestants are sworn to secrecy regarding what they're actually paid by Fuller's company (19 Entertainment), whether in record sales or in revenues from live concert appearances. Tellingly, most of the past winners have severed ties with 19 as quickly as possible.

Also of interest is this chart from The Church of The Consumer, laying out the viewers and voters from year-to-year compared to actual album sales. Obviously, the former consistently go up and up, while the latter don't do the same. What determines how many records a given winner sells? Could it have something to do with the way 19 Entertainment mis-handles and mis-markets the Fantasia Barrino's and Taylor Hicks' of its competition?

Note: this post previously said that 19 Entertainment was Simon Cowell's production company and not Simon Fuller's. Thanks, Matty, for the correction.