American Idol is the top-rated show every single week. It currently has more spin-off series than even I can name, and gets more media buzz than the presidential election (sadly, it’s true). The three judges and all contestants enjoy intense celebrity, the performances are downloaded and re-viewed thanks to mobile devices and the Internet, and eventually one of them will win a recording contract which could rocket them to super stardom. So…what could possibly be wrong with Idol?

After seven years, American Idol is noticing a sharp decline in ratings. Sure, the show is still ruling the weekly numbers. Sure, the show is still commanding all sorts of public attention. But FOX also knows they can do better. Expect changes for American Idol’s eighth season - I promise, they will come. A new marketing research survey recently put out by the powers-that-be behind the show all but guarantees something’s going to happen. And that something could just be a host change.

This late in the game, is it a good idea to replace Ryan Seacrest? Depending on how the results of the survey shake out, it’s possible Idol could decide to do just that. The survey - which I’ve seen - asks a myriad of questions, with strong emphasis on the early weeks of the show. Questions ask viewers to sound off on what they like/dislike about Hollywood Week, how much they like seeing the audition weeks, and how they would react to possible changes. One question asks viewers if they would rather see audition flashbacks during Hollywood Week; another asks if the week should be extended.

But many of the questions draw attention to Ryan Seacrest, suggesting that the show is considering at least one major casting change. With corresponding pictures, the survey asks respondents to rate the importance of each judge as well as the host. It also asks leading questions like “I like the interaction between Ryan and the contestants,” and “I like the interaction between the judges and Ryan.” The survey also asks about the banter between the judges and how enjoyable that may or may not be to viewers.

Ryan Seacrest has received his share of bad press during Idol’s seventh season. The host sparked fury from fans during the elimination of popular contestant Michael Johns. Many viewers felt the host handled the situation badly. The increasingly antagonistic comments between Seacrest and judge Simon Cowell, once amusing, are now becoming more and more boring with each passing episode.

But is a hosting change really what’s needed to save the show that really doesn’t need much saving? It’s still number one - a big deal for reality and an even bigger deal for FOX. Eliminating Seacrest could further alienate long-time viewers and even piss off the younger crowd who finds him attractive and fun to watch. The Idol formula has rocketed the series to un-dreamed-of success…so, does it even need “fixing” in the first place?