Simon Cowell lofty 'X Factor' ratings projection

Simon Cowell is backtracking!
The millionaire music mogul is saying ratings of less than 20 million for the US version of The X Factor would be a failure.
The show’s September debut earned 12.5 million viewers, which was less than the premiere of the comedyModern Family, the leader of the night with 14.5 million viewers.
The X Factor held those numbers for the second episode. In week two, ratings hovered around 12 million viewers for each episode.
“I’m not going to lie. I wanted 20 million when we launched,” said Cowell, “but now I’m kind of back in the real world and I’m seeing this grow naturally. I’m as happy as I’ve ever been.
“We’re not in Russia where you have one show. This is life. If you’re competitive and it spurs you on, I kind of get excited by it.”