Anyone expecting to see a blog post listing the pros and cons of American Idol and X Factor and a determination by me on which show is better will be disappointed. This is not what this post is about. Instead, it is about the rash of articles I’ve seen lately that seem to suggest that viewers can’t be loyal to both shows or that there isn’t enough room on TV for both shows.

And if I see one more article suggest this, I may take AT&T up on their offer to reach out and touch someone. With a frying pan. Upside their head.

In a way, it doesn’t really surprise me that such talk is taking place. Several callers to the radio show last year seemed to have the mistaken belief that Idol would automatically end after Season 10. No matter what I said, or what evidence I presented, they refused to even consider the possibility that there would be a Season 11.

What I don’t understand, though, is why everyone is writing Idol‘s obituary already.

I get that Simon Cowell has left the show. The cranky judge who wore tight t-shirts and always had a look of constipation on his face has moved on. But let’s be realistic here: Simon’s heart left the show at least two years before his body did. It was clear to me when Season 8 started that Simon didn’t want to be at the judges’ table anymore. He was bored and he didn’t care. He spent most of the season phoning in his comments and critiques. Unless a contestant really teed him off, his sardonic, stinging rebukes were few and far between.

So why should Simon’s leaving create a void that can’t be filled? We don’t yet know how Steven Tyler or Jennifer Lopez will be in judging the contestants, and several news reports have indicated that Randy Jackson has taken on a tougher stance so far this year.

Furthermore, the start of The X Factor does not mean that the entire viewing audience will simply jump ship. The two shows air at different times of the year, which means people can watch both shows if they want. And it’s always possible that the US version of X Factor won’t resonate at all with the audience.

Simply put, there is nothing to indicate that people can’t or won’t watch both shows. Ultimately, it will be up to each show to give us a reason to watch. The return of Nigel Lythgoe to American Idol should, hopefully, right that ship and give us a reason to keep watching. And people should tune into X Factor simply to see what all the hype about.

So why do you think people are ready to pronounce time-of-death on Idol? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.