'American Idol': Iovine is the mentor

There was some news, by the way: Fox says Jimmy Iovine will be the in-house mentor. Iovine - record industry bigshot, of course - was once rumored to be a potential judge.

Here is a big chunk of the Fox news release, hot off the computer screen...

Throughout the season, IDOL will go behind-the-scenes to feature Iovine working with and lending his expertise to the contestants as they compete to become the next American Idol. As part of Universal Music Group’s long-term alliance with AMERICAN IDOL, Interscope Geffen A&M will market, promote and distribute albums globally from AMERICAN IDOL finalists and winning contestants across a broad array of retail and new media platforms.

 “For nine years I’ve enjoyed watching artists compete to get a meaningful chance to achieve their dreams,” said Lopez. “I know from my own experience how hard it is to succeed, and I’m looking forward to discovering and nurturing that spirit in the many AMERICAN IDOL contestants I look forward to meeting this year.”

 “I’ve been on tour for most of my life in a band with four guys who judge me every day. Sometimes it hurt, but it only made me stronger,” said Tyler. “I want to give everybody a little love before I decide who goes home heartbroken. If you don’t like what I say, don’t get mad, get better. I’m ready to bring some rock to this ‘roller’ coaster and show these kids if they have the dream, the talent and the drive, they will be the next American Idol.”

 “I can’t believe it’s been 10 years of the greatest show in the world,” said Jackson. “I am looking forward to this next season; we are going to knock it out of the park. Season 10 is going to be hot!”


“We are all thrilled to have Interscope Geffen A&M now be the distributor for AMERICAN IDOL’s music,” said Iovine. “I’m looking forward to working as a mentor on the show, where I’ll work with the talent to help them develop and grow week to week. This will also give the audience a deeper look into the artists’ abilities and give viewers more insight when making their choices.”