"The Voice" executive producer Mark Burnett says he believes his show beat "Idol" for the first time this season in part because "it's a kinder show" with coaches who are "very, very current."
Everyone involved in "The Voice" has avoided comparisons with Fox's "American Idol," but that's changing now that the season is over and "The Voice" is on top.
"Amazing. Absolutely amazing," Burnett said in an interview with TheWrap. "I felt that in the first three seasons the audience had gravitated toward 'The Voice' mainly because it's a kinder show. There's no humiliation on it. I feel that that's very, very important with audiences. And also our coaches are very, very current in their careers. I feel like it's become young America's favorite show."
Burnett also explained why he's avoided making ratings predictions about "The Voice" and "Idol."
"I was very hopeful that we would do better," he said. "You never want to go out there and say anything at the beginning of the season, because you never know, do you?"
Both nights of Burnett's NBC singing competition have beat both nights of "Idol" in the key 18-49 demographic, but there's one asterisk: "The Voice" spring cycle is still going, with the season finale airing June 18. "The Voice" has averaged a 5.1 rating in the demo on Mondays and a 4.7 on Tuesdays. "Idol" has averaged a 4.6 on Wednesday and 4.3 on Thursday.
"Idol" leads "The Voice" in total viewers, averaging 15 million on Wednesdays and 14.6 million on Thursdays. "The Voice" averages 14.2 million on Mondays and 13.3 million on Tuesdays.
"Idol" was the top show on television for eight years, finally falling to NBC's "Sunday Night Football" in the 2011-12 season.
It's been a very good season for Burnett, whose other hits include "Survivor," "Celebrity Apprentice" and "Shark Tank": The project closest to his heart, "The Bible," a miniseries he produced with wife Roma Downey, set ratings records for History.
Additionally, "The Voice," "Survivor" and "Shark Tank" each received a Critics' Choice Television Awards nomination on Thursday.
