Songwriter joins Idol judge panel :

Grammy-nominated songwriter Kara DioGuardi, who has written tracks for Gwen Stefani and Kylie Minogue, is joining American Idol as a judge.
The 37-year-old will join Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson in the latest series of the hit show.
DioGuardi has also written and produced for artists including Christina Aguilera and Leona Lewis.
"I'm going to be a straight-shooter," she said. "I'm just somebody who's really honest and gives my opinion."
"If I feel the need to be hard with someone in order to get that across, I will be.
"And if I feel I need to be softer and more nurturing with some of the contestants, I'll be that."