FOX cancels "The X Factor" after only three seasons

Fox has announced it will not be bringing "The X Factor" back after only three seasons.

Once thought of as an alternate for FOX when "American Idol" was on hiatus, or even an eventual replacement, the show never seemed to find it's distinction from "American Idol." To many, the show seemed like just another edition of the same show.

From Variety:

Show saw significant ratings falloffs in each of its next two years, and its adults 18-49 average for the current season (2.2) is just half of what it was in season one (4.4). For those first two seasons, “X Factor” was the No. 3-rated broadcast reality series in adults 18-49 (behind only “American Idol” and “The Voice”), but it currently also ranks behind ABC’s “The Bachelor,” “Dancing With the Stars” and “Shark Tank,” CBS’ “Survivor” and “Amazing Race” and NBC’s “The Biggest Loser.”

In total viewers, the Wednesday installment of “X Factor” went from 12.7 million in 2011, to 9.7 million in 2012 and then about 7 million for its 2013 edition.