World’s most-watched television franchise, informally

IDOL

Think of the global singing competition that launched careers for stars like Kelly Clarkson and has versions in over 40 countries. The name drops the first word when spoken casually.

This clue refers to the "American Idol" TV show, which is part of the global "Idol" franchise—a massive singing competition series watched by millions. The word "informally" hints at dropping "American" to leave just "IDOL" as the answer. It’s a cultural shorthand for the franchise that includes versions like "Pop Idol" and "Canadian Idol.