Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

NBC May Give Leno 10 p.m. Slot
Wall Street Journal ^ | 12/9/08 | By REBECCA DANA and SAM SCHECHNER

Posted on 12/08/2008 5:07:22 PM PST by BurbankKarl

NBC Universal is in serious negotiations to give its 10 p.m. weeknight time slot to Jay Leno, a move that would secure the popular "Tonight Show" host's place at the network after he vacates his late night perch this spring, according to three sources close to the network. An announcement could come as early as Tuesday.

The move would address several major problems for the network, which is bleeding ratings and has failed to develop any new hit shows this fall, at a time when advertising revenue is plummeting. Under the proposal, NBC would only develop programming for two hours a night instead of three, saving considerable development and production costs. NBC, mired in fourth place among broadcasters, has seen its ratings decline 12 percent over last season.

The network has also been scrambling to find a way to keep Mr. Leno in the fold, years after it struck a deal to give Conan O'Brien, host of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," the "Tonight Show" perch in 2009. Mr. Leno's ratings remained strong in the intervening time.

On Monday, NBCU chief executive Jeff Zucker told investors at an industry conference that the network was considering scaling back the number of prime time hours it programs as a way to save money. His comments came as the company laid off 500 employees as part of a projected $500 million in cuts to its 2009 budget. On Monday, the company merged its network and television studio to streamline operations and eliminate overlapping staff.

"Can we continue to program 22 hours of prime-time? Three of our competitors don't. Can we afford to program seven nights a week? One of our competitors doesn't," Mr. Zucker said. "All of these questions have to be on the table. And we are actively looking at all ..

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: deathwatch; dinomediadeathwatch; dinosaurmedia
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last

1 posted on 12/08/2008 5:07:23 PM PST by BurbankKarl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: BurbankKarl
Conan will wither on the vine if Leno is on at 10 eastern.

Jay could get decent ratings at that hour

2 posted on 12/08/2008 5:08:25 PM PST by lewisglad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lewisglad

The 11pm news would die off too....

a win win


3 posted on 12/08/2008 5:09:24 PM PST by BurbankKarl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: abb

The only thing that makes sense coming out of NBC these days.


4 posted on 12/08/2008 5:10:02 PM PST by BurbankKarl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lewisglad

Shoulda held out until Craig Ferguson became popular.


5 posted on 12/08/2008 5:10:28 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (SARAH *** JOE *** 2012!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: BurbankKarl

Zucker is willing to cannablize the local news and Conan for a cheaper bottom line.


6 posted on 12/08/2008 5:10:38 PM PST by lewisglad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Uncle Miltie
I thought the better move would be for Leno to go to ABC at 10:30 and move Kimmel back an hour.

But Jay really doesn't need the money now, too bad he will destroy Conan to help out NBC's failing program dept.

7 posted on 12/08/2008 5:12:17 PM PST by lewisglad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: BurbankKarl

NBC’s scripted shows are doing so badly that this move makes sense. Given the choice between a primetime talk show and more stupid “reality” shows, I’ll take the talk show anytime.


8 posted on 12/08/2008 5:16:39 PM PST by denydenydeny ("Banish Merry Christmas. Get ready for Mad Max.."-Daniel Henninger)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BurbankKarl

They could just air extenze and girls gone wild infomercials after 10 pm


9 posted on 12/08/2008 5:18:48 PM PST by al baby (Hi mom IF DA BIRTH PLACE IS A LIE, BEING DA PRESIDENT AIN'T GONNA FLY!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: BurbankKarl

I don’t look at tv much, but one thing I will never watch is Conan O’Brien.


10 posted on 12/08/2008 5:20:30 PM PST by SWAMPSNIPER (THE SECOND AMENDMENT, A MATTER OF FACT, NOT A MATTER OF OPINION)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SWAMPSNIPER

“I don’t look at tv much, but one thing I will never watch is Conan O’Brien.”

Personally, I think they both suck. Conan with a capital S...


11 posted on 12/08/2008 5:23:57 PM PST by jessduntno (Barack - Kenyan for "High Wind, Big Thunder, No Rain")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Uncle Miltie

Ferguson would run circles around all late night hosts. However, he tends to be a little on the “blue” side and the network would have to curb that, which would ruin his appeal. IMHO


12 posted on 12/08/2008 5:25:15 PM PST by doc1019
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: BurbankKarl
I'm trying to remember the last time I watched anything on NBC's networks - NBC, MSNBC, CNBC... Nope... I do remember watching some of the best sitcoms - Cosby, Wings, Cheers, Night Court, Mad About You, Fraiser, and there were dramas like Hill Street Blues and ER (the early years, before it lost its sense of humor and got all preachy). I'd guess it's been more than a decade since I actually sat down to watch something on NBC... And now I've made a point of NOT watching anything on NBC, or any of their networks, due to their horrific political slant.

Mark

13 posted on 12/08/2008 6:25:55 PM PST by MarkL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: doc1019

Ferguson is a real talent. He can even make a fart joke seem new and original.


14 posted on 12/08/2008 6:32:09 PM PST by countess
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: countess

LOL! I would love to see his Vegas show. ;-)


15 posted on 12/08/2008 6:35:56 PM PST by doc1019
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: lewisglad

Leno makes 25% or more of the profit for NBC. This is a win win....and it looks like its a done deal


16 posted on 12/08/2008 6:51:04 PM PST by BurbankKarl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: BurbankKarl

I don’t get it. Does NBC think folks are gonna watch an hour of Leno, his jokes and guests and all that...and then stay up to watch an hour of Conan who will pretty much have the same thing?

Are people going to watch 2 hrs of talk shows between 10 and 12:30, 3 between 10 and 1:30?

NBC could probably save even more moeny by copying what FOX does with O’Reilly and give Leno his 10-11 and then re-air it at 11:30. Jay would still beat Dave.

If anything this hurts NBC because now people can watch both Leno and Letterman if they want instead of having to choose.

And I guess this means they’re cancelling Law and Order and SVU and all their other 10PM shows...or moving them to 9 and cancelling the 9PM ones.

Plus, it’s a real slap in the face to Conan. He’s named the successor and now he’s second fiddle again. He’s still overshafowed by Jay, whose new show will be considered the real Tonight Show by everyone even if it has a different name. It’s like if Carson moved to primetime in 1993. No one would care about Jay and his new show.

Jay is still the big cheese at the network, the guy in hollywood, the guy with the primetime show, etc... Jay may even be more powerful now. If you’re a big time actor or guest with a big movie or record or whatever, who will you want to go on, Jay or Conan?

I mean, if Jay really rakes in the cash I guess it makes sense but seems like they’ll hurt themselves at 11:30.


17 posted on 12/08/2008 7:16:11 PM PST by jeltz25
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: jeltz25

I guess you havent heard how many VPs they fired in the past 2 days?

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/nbc-fires-more-executives-today/


18 posted on 12/08/2008 7:48:19 PM PST by BurbankKarl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: BurbankKarl
But hold on.. now the news is it'll be Leno at 10, Conan at 11:30, and Jimmy at 12:30?? Every single night?

To me, this idea is pretty bold in its stupidity.

19 posted on 12/09/2008 8:14:09 AM PST by lainie (The US congress is full to the brim of absolutely disgusting thieves who deserve humiliating ouster.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: AdmSmith; Berosus; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; george76; ...

A month or more ago, it seems like I heard that Conan O’Brien wouldn’t be moving to the Tonight Show because Jay wasn’t going to “retire” from it. Heard about this the other day, apparently long after everyone else? Dinosaur media deathwatch.

Report: Leno to stay at NBC, moving to prime time
AP | 12-08-2008
Posted on 12/08/2008 6:36:52 PM PST by My Favorite Headache
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2145272/posts

Rob Long: Jay Leno, container ships and other economic indicators
morning call | December 23, 2008 | Rob Long
Posted on 12/24/2008 11:59:07 AM PST by george76
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2153901/posts


20 posted on 01/02/2009 7:38:48 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______Profile finally updated Saturday, December 6, 2008 !!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson