"American Idol" is seeking to cut its budgets, staff and salaries for the show’s 12th season, an effort that may make it more difficult for the show to recruit new talent to the judges’ table, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Jennifer Lopez, who reportedly earned between $15 million and $20 million as a judge, had been seeking another raise, the piece notes. As previously reported, both she and Steven Tyler have announced their decisions to leave the show.

It’s not certain whether Randy Jackson will return either, but he may have an edge since he manages Mariah Carey, who has reportedly been considered for the judges’ panel, the story notes.

"According to other well-placed insiders, in the hours that followed both Tyler’s and Lopez’s announcement, a mild panic seemed to set in for those intimately involved with the show as war room-like meetings behind closed doors were hastily assembled and cell phones beeped nonstop," the article notes.

"Public opinion came down fast and furious, too. Among the revelations: that in the end, superstars Lopez and Tyler saw their careers flourish with lucrative endorsement opportunities and music on the charts, but didn’t really help the ‘Idol’ franchise; in fact, they may have hurt it," according to the story.

The report notes that the show’s most recent season finale was “Idol’s” lowest rated ever.