'Idol' an easy Wednesday champion

Fox controlled Wednesday's primetime ratings race getting a 2-hour episode that brought having a series lows alternatively systems. Meanwhile, though lower a bit more again this year, CBS opened up in the 24th edition of ''Survivor'' to great amounts.According to preliminary national estimations, "The The American Idol Show ShowInch averaged a 6./16 in 18-49 and 18.6 000 0000 audiences overall from 8 to 10 p.m., on componen with last week's hourlong episode and just the night's No. 1 enter in most groups. In grownups 18-49, "Idol" won its opening hour over "Survivor" by 7 shares, assigned "Modern Family" by 5 shares at 9 o'clock then elevated with a 9-share advantage at 9:30 when CBS' "Criminal Minds" was runner-up. If "Idol" edges up to 6.one out of the superb, it'll edge the Monday delivery of NBC's "The Voice" to put as television's No. 1 show among teens for your week.CBS started ''Survivor: One World'' getting a 3./8 in 18-49 and 10.7 million audiences overall, lower from last winter's premiere (3.2 inside the demo) but nevertheless a great second-place finisher to ''Idol'' inside the 8 o'clock hour. It absolutely was then ''Criminal Minds'' inside a season low (3./7 in 18-49, 11.9 million audiences overall), but ''CSI'' edged up week to week to win at 10 (2.7/7 in 18-49, 11.millions of audiences overall) as auds up-to-date straight into start to see the premiere of Elizabeth Shue just like a regular cast member. For your evening, CBS went second in 18-49, 25-54 and total audiences.At ABC, ''The Middle'' (2.5/7 in 18-49, 8.millions of audiences overall) and ''Suburgatory'' (2.4/6 in 18-49, 6.9 million audiences overall) were lower just a little week to week at season-'abnormal' amounts for just about any regular original. Similarly within the shallow finish in the pool were ''Modern Family'' (4.7/12 in 18-49, 11.2 million audiences overall) and ''Happy Endings'' (2.5/6 in 18-49, 5.8 million audiences overall), which required to do fight with ''American Idol'' now and for that reason dipped more week to week in comparison to net's opening-hour comedies. At 10, ''Revenge,'' despite an important episode inside the soap's plotline, edged lower slightly week to week (2.4/6 in 18-49, 7.6 000 0000 audiences overall), placing second in lots of groups and first among the tv producers in grownups 18-34 (1.9/6).The Alphabet was really the only major network to write gains versus. its performance round the comparable evening this past year. NBC's ''Whitney'' (1.6/5 in 18-49, 4.5 million audiences overall) ticked up week to week, drawing its greatest overall audience in 5 days, but ''Are You There, Chelsea'' went just a little inside the other way (1.4/4 in 18-4, 3.5 million audiences overall). Also lower week to week were 9 p.m. newsmag ''Rock Center'' (.8/2 in 18-49, 3. million audiences overall) and 10 p.m. drama ''Law and Order: SVU'' (1.7/4 in 18-49, 5.8 million audiences overall).CW's ''One Tree Hill'' held steady (.7/2 in 18-49, 1.4 million audiences overall) while ''Remodeled'' dipped week to week (.2/one out of 18-49, .5 million audiences overall) . but in very good news, it cannot dip much farther.Preliminary 18-49 earnings for your evening: Fox, 6./16 CBS, 2.9/8 ABC, 2.8/7 Univision, 1.4/4 NBC, 1.3/3 CW, .5/1.In general audiences: Fox, 18.6 000 0000 CBS, 11.2 million ABC, 7.9 million NBC, 4.3 million Univision, 3.4 million CW, .9 million. Contact Ron Kissell at ron.kissell@variety.com

Nu Image/Millennium woo Fremes

FremesJohn Fremes has been tapped as head of international at Nu Image/Millennium Films after serving as a top exec at Essential Entertainment.He's reporting to principals Avi Lerner and Trevor Short in a move announced Thursday at the Berlin Film Festival, where the Nu Image/Millenium slate includes "Lovelace," "The Iceman," "Killing Season" and "The Expendables 2."The appointment comes eight months after Mark Gill was recruited as president of Millennium Films, Nu Image's production arm. Fremes is overseeing international sales, distribution and marketing while Gill oversees development, financing and production of Millennium's slate of eight to 10 star-driven movies annually.Fremes was prexy of worldwide distribution at Essential, overseeing sales, distribution and business affairs on "Barney's Version," "The Expatriate" and "Defiance" along with exec producing Roadshow Australia's "Red Dog." Fremes was formerly president of Element Films Intl. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

American Idol's Randy Jackson on Swooning, Stern Steven and How Season 11 Is More Intense

American Idol While American Idol hasn't changed its format significantly for its 11th season, there are some surprises in store. On a call earlier this month, judge Randy Jackson sidestepped questions about the new performance challenges, but teased that everything will be tougher this year - to the point that medics were even called in to treat fainting people auditioning in the Hollywood rounds, which begin Thursday (8/7c, Fox). Is this an indication that Idol has turned up the heat? American Idol's Randy Jackson: Mariah Carey would be an "amazing" X Factor judge Let's take a look at Jackson's (occasionally vague) hints of what may be in store for the competition: Hollywood rounds send hopefuls swooning (literally). "We had people fainting and passing out. It was crazy," Jackson said. "More than ever, it was kind of weird. It just shows the intensity of what's going on. This Hollywood Week was the toughest I think we've ever had on the kids. What's interesting about this time is I would glance at the kids waiting to get up to sing... [and they would] stand up for almost every other performer. It was like, 'Wow, they're really good.' You have to see a lot of talent that goes before you, and when you're sitting there with your nerves in a bunch and you're seeing great voice after great voice after talent after talent, I think you really start doubting yourself." The Judges' Save could get a tweak. "One of the things we've been tossing around and had some ideas about is that judges' save thing," he said. "Last season, we saved Casey, and it was the right time because it was the right person to do that with, but I certainly wish we had another one or two because I think it didn't serve the rest of the team well." Familiar faces have returned, renewed and improved. "Every year, if you watch the auditions closely, we say, 'You're not ready yet. Maybe you should come back.' Guess what? This year, a lot of them came back," Jackson said with a laugh. "They actually listened to us and they came back. They've gotten better or grown... I think that the only edge that they have is that they've been there before... maybe that helps with the nerves a little bit." American Idol slams its music show competition, reveals new performance challenges Howard isn't the only "Stern" judge. "It's Steven [Tyler] and Jennifer [Lopez]'s second year. I think they're being a little bit more stern, not tougher - stern," Jackson said. "They're a little bit more comfortable with it, but they're having a good time, we're all having a really good time. You'll see some change in that in them... It may surprise you." The Dawg may have learned new catch phrases. "What I do and what I say always changes because we grow and evolve a little bit," he said. "I may not be saying this year, 'Are you in it to win it?' [laughs] I think that one's been retired. That was last season, man. It's so last season! You've got to feel it in the air, come on!" American Idol airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8/7c on Fox. How are you liking Season 11 so far? Do you think the competition is tougher?

Sellars, 'Wild Things' headline L.A. Phil season

The La Philharmonic's 2012-13 season, which begins Sept. 27, is going to be marked by nine new commissions, seven world premieres and many stars within the classical and jazz area who'll bring their talents to Wally Disney Concert Hall.Highlights -- all being carried out by L.A. Phil music director Gustavo Dudamel -- range from the second installment from the three-year Mozart opera project, "The Wedding of Figaro" L.A. Phil creative chair John Adams' oratorio "The Gospel Based on the Other Mary," directed by Peter Sellars and Oliver Knussen's one-act opera "In which the Wild Situations Are,Inch according to Maurice Sendak's classic children's book.Two multi-year projects may also be released that focus on the job of merely one composer: Mozart with Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes and also the Bach Keyboard Cycle, which marks the start of pianist Andrs Schiff's two-year study of Bach's keyboard music.Other celebrated artists featurted within the season's programming include violinists Itzhak Perlman and Hilary Hahn pianists Hlne Grimaud, Yefim Bronfman and Yuja Wang and vocalists Rene Fleming and Susan Graham.Past L.A. Phil music company directors Esa-Pekka Salonen and Zubin Mehta will even return for choose dates to wield the baton, getting their particular Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and Philharmonia Orchestra together.Amongst the jazz choices curated by Herbie Hancock incorporate a co-commissioned piece compiled by Wayne Shorter for bassist-singer Esperanza Spalding, who's writing the lyrics and supplying the vocals for that piece along with a visit through the Jazz at Lincoln subsequently Center Orchestra brought by Wynton Marsalis.For an entire rundown from the year visit laphil.com. Contact Steve Chagollan at steve.chagollan@variety.com