I live in the DC market ...
The TV critic in the Wa Po wrote that the new Leno may actually backfire on NBC as a whole ...
1. Although the new Leno costs much less to produce than a single network show, there are 5 less timeslots for those shows.
2. However, Leno has to go head-to-head with scripted network shows 5 times a week. CSI Miami, CSI NY, Mentalist, Numbers - these are hugely popular and will prolly trash Leno in the ratings.
3. Also, advertisers only paid rock bottom prices for air time since this is not a scripted network show and they do not believe that Leno will be able to compete. Less $$$ for NBC
4. WRC (the NBC affiliate in DC) is MASSIVELY upset that Leno is on before the 11 O’Clock news. WRC news has been #1 in the market for a decade and it believes that if Leno cannot get the ratings, no one will watch him, and then there will be no viewership carry over to the news.
5. Same goes for Conan - no watch Leno, no carryover to news, thus no carryover to Conan.
I think the NBC program execs should be polishing up their resumes - they fu*ked up royal !!!
“Same goes for Conan - no watch Leno, no carryover to news, thus no carryover to Conan.”
It’s not just that. If they actually do tune in to Leno, and the audience carries over to the news, they might shut off Conan anyway. “What’s this, the Tonight Show? Didn’t we just watch this?”