ABC's "American Idol" to relocate production to Georgia amid declining Los Angeles TV shoots

"American Idol" will shift its production for the upcoming season from Los Angeles to the Atlanta area, according to Fremantle, the series' producer alongside 19 Entertainment, a Sony Pictures Television unit. The relocation follows a broader decline in television production activity in the Los Angeles region, which FilmLA reports fell 27% in the second quarter compared with a year earlier, largely due to fewer reality-TV shoots.

Georgia offers tax credits of up to 30% for reality-program productions that spend at least $500,000 in the state, and the credit can be applied to compensation for actors and other above-the-line workers. By contrast, California’s incentive program does not extend to those categories.

The move mirrors recent decisions by other series, including Fox’s "The Masked Singer," which will film in New Jersey, and ABC’s "Shark Tank," also heading to Atlanta. Industry leaders and lawmakers have called for a federal film and television tax credit; Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) and Rep. Brian Jack (R-Ga.) plan to introduce related legislation, citing a Motion Picture Association study that estimates such a credit could create 143,000 jobs.

ABC announced the return of "American Idol" for its 10th season on the Disney network, with auditions taking place in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The show, hosted by Ryan Seacrest and featuring judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and former champion Carrie Underwood, last season was produced at Red Studios in Hollywood.

FilmLA notes that reality-program production in California has fallen nearly 63% over the past five years, and overall shoot days in the state remain down about 40% compared with the same period last year, despite recent expansions of the state’s tax-credit eligibility for competition shows.