In case there was any doubt about it, NBC is going forward with their plan to make The Voice a year-round thing. The network just picked up the singing competition series for two more cycles to air next Spring and Fall, suggesting that they are throwing caution to the wind in regards to those warnings that over-saturation could hurt the show’s overall longevity.
What the broadcaster is seeing is that most audiences perceive the show to be one in the same when it comes to comparisons with The X Factor and American Idol which gives them validation in such tactics. Of course, the larger concern is that this might have a significant impact on the stability of the judges’ panel which is currently composed of Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton, and Adam Levine.
We are already seeing that some of them want to tour and pursue other opportunities in the news that hit last week. NBC recently confirmed that Aguilera and Green would take a seat on the bench for the show’s spring run which has enlisted the talents of Usher and Shakira as ‘substitutes.’ There are only so many subs to go around and if this temporary replacement plan does not work, there could be long-lasting consequences for The Voice in the ratings. While both of these subs are big names, so was Jennifer Lopez and she did not exactly help grow American Idol as much as her album sales.
The Voice currently airs on Monday and Tuesday nights on NBC.