LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Time was when TV talent shows set out to turn wannabes into stars. These days? Not so much. It's the celebrity judges who are raking in the cash and using TV contests not only as a way to re-launch a fading career, but to further boost a thriving one. For music stars in an era of weak record sales, the trend spells victory for their bank account, but for fans and the music industry always hungering for a new star, it's a loss. And for TV networks, the once cheap-to-produce shows are ever more expensive, yet they don't always pay off in bigger audiences. ...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Jennifer Lopez is casting doubt on whether she will return to "American Idol" next year as she juggles motherhood with a comeback in both her pop music and acting careers. Lopez, who has young twins, told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres this week that she wasn't sure about renewing her contract as a judge on the TV singing contest for a third year. And on Wednesday, sources close to the singer told E! News that she was "just too busy" and was planning on calling an end to her time on "American Idol". "Now this is my second year - I don't know if I can go for a third ...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Perfect wasn't good enough, and failed to impress "Dancing With the Stars" fans who chose to send Maria Menounos home after the TV dance contest's semifinal round on Tuesday. Menounos, who scored a perfect 30 from the three judges on Monday night for her Argentine tango with professional dancer Derek Hough, won the judges' highest combined score of 59 points having also turned in a 29 for a jive that followed the tango. ...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Howard Stern brought his Mr Nice Guy act to "America's Got Talent" on Monday, but fewer people watched the show compared to last year, despite the publicity over his arrival. Stern, 58, one of America's best-known "shock jocks", left bad language and sexually explicit banter at home in his first stint as a new judge on the NBC show, leading critics to dub him "a sweet old man" and a judge with "a lot of heart." But many TV viewers didn't bother to watch. "America's Got Talent" was watched by 10.5 million viewers, down some 30 percent on last year's season debut (15. ...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Howard Stern brought his Mr Nice Guy act to "America's Got Talent" on Monday, but the show failed to deliver the bumper ratings expected given the publicity over his arrival. Stern, 58, one of America's best-known "shock jocks", left bad language and sexually explicit banter at home in his first stint as a new judge on the NBC show, leading critics to dub him "a sweet old man" and a judge with "a lot of heart." But many TV viewers didn't bother to watch. ...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jermaine Paul, the newly crowned winner of popular TV singing competition "The Voice," said on Tuesday he wants to make music that ordinary Americans like himself and his family can relate to - with a few celebrity cameos, of course. R&B singer Paul, a former backup for Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige, told reporters on a conference call that he has often struggled in his quest for artistic success, an experience he believes is especially common during the economic downturn. ...

SALT LAKE CITY (Reuters) - Former child star Gary Coleman's ex-wife failed to prove she had lived with him as a common law spouse even after their divorce, a Utah judge has ruled, in a move that could strip her of rights to the "Diff'rent Strokes" actor's estate. Coleman, whose spunky personality, pudgy cheeks and comic timing at age 10 made him a prime time sensation in 1978, died two years ago at age 42 after suffering a brain hemorrhage in an accidental fall at his Utah home. He died after being taken off of life support - a decision made by his former wife, Shannon Price. ...

(Reuters) - The NBC network brought a monkey to pitch new programs to prospective advertisers on Monday, looking to highlight a new comedy set in a veterinary clinic rather than the circus its primetime lineup has been in recent years. "Animal Practice" was among the shows NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt showcased at the upfront presentations held at Radio City Music Hall in Midtown Manhattan, as the network looks to finally climb out of the ratings basement. That would be something of a revolution for NBC and new owners, Comcast Corp. ...

NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Britney Spears and former Disney Channel star Demi Lovato officially joined the U.S. version of "The X Factor" on Monday, leading creator Simon Cowell to pledge the second season would "seriously kick butt" when it returns in September. Spears, 30, the world's biggest pop phenomenon of the 2000s, and Lovato, 19, will fill the judge's slots left open by Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger, who were both fired by Cowell after a disappointing first season in 2011. Spears and Lovato appeared with Cowell and fellow judge Antonio "L. ...