The Reality Check on California's Production Incentives The departure of "American Idol" from Los Angeles marks another high profile casualty in the city's production drought.
Since 2002, the show has been a staple of LA's broadcast history, but its move to Georgia highlights the challenges facing California's production industry.
The expansion of the film and television tax credit program last year was intended to boost the industry, but it comes with strict eligibility criteria: only competition shows with budgets over $1 million per episode qualify for incentives.