THR: Seacrest The Most Powerful Man In Reality TV

Ryan Seacrest's media empire is expanding again, this time with scripted TV series, film development and greater responsibilities in the wake of the Comcast-NBC Universal merger, according to a profile by Lacy Rose in The Hollwood Reporter.

The American Idol host and powerhouse reality TV producers revealed his plans in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in conjunction with his selection as No. 1 on THR's fourth annual Reality Power List.

Read the full profile and list here, but among Seacrest's revelations:

• Through his three-year deal with Clear Channel, which he signed in November, he's in the process of setting up a music publishing business where he will be able to own the music that appears in his shows. As he sees it, finding original music (vocal or otherwise) and signing talent will free up his budget to put more money on screen.