Late Night toss up

[Macawmoses]

Not sure how many of you guys watch late night television, but I know some do. Some of you, like me, are Leno fans - and thanks to his Tonight Show (and features like Headlines) stuck around for Conan O'Brien/Jimmy Fallon. Others moved over to CBC to watch Letterman's Late Show - going into Ferguson and Kimmel.

Remember a while back when Jay got booted and moved to Primetime? Well, that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. NBC is facing a ton of pressure about this move (and Leno was never happy). So, the answer? Cut Leno's time to half an hour....but move him back to where he belongs. Oh, and push Conan and Fallon back. Seems reasonable? Maybe.

"As you may have heard, there is a rumor floating around that we were canceled. I heard it coming in this morning on the radio. So far no one has said anything to me. But if we did get canceled, it will give us time to do some traveling. I understand that Fox is beautiful this time of year."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/08/business/media/08leno.html

What do you think? Is it sensible to move them around haphazardly, or is NBC getting what it deserves out of its primetime shift?

[BOREDFOREVER]

I've always been a big Conan fan.

NBC is trying to juggle and tap dance its way out of a ratings slump for a while, and this new strategy of bungling late night TV isn't going to fix it.  Something to keep in mind is that O'Brien took two years to hit a good stride and solidify his audience at the old time slot.  Any change in Late night hosts will take a longer adjustment period; the hosts are on five times a week, and audiences get into a deeper groove than they would with a weekly, 24 episode primetime show.

The reference to Fox in the article is funny to me.  Fox has had its fair share of time-slot bungles, with the original Family Guy run being a shining example.

[Macawmoses]

Aye.

I think the most hilarious thing would be Leno and Conan ultimately both leaving. That'd solidify their slot at the bottom.

They can't just take risks and not expect a backlash.

[Friendly Hostile]

I find this whole thing amusing.  Either way, NBC is intercourse ed because they've mad off  multiple groups of fans and set up a scenario now where someone will have to lose.  Leno should have gone out gracefully and retired.

[Macawmoses]

Leno's statement tonight noted that NBC would not let him out of his contract...again.

Besides, in all fairness, his ratings were not really the ones that caused issues in the first place. He was #1 consistently with The Tonight Show - while Conan has been on a downward spiral since day 2.

[Mystic]

Leno should just die.

[Friendly Hostile]

Leno's statement tonight noted that NBC would not let him out of his contract...again.

Besides, in all fairness, his ratings were not really the ones that caused issues in the first place. He was #1 consistently with The Tonight Show - while Conan has been on a downward spiral since day 2.

Not when Leno started on the Tonight Show.  His ratings weren't up there then.  And when Conan took over Late Night, it took more than a year for his audience to establish and reverse the downward spiral on the ratings.  Conan hasn't been given even a whole year yet on the Tonight Show.  And Leno's show tanked when he moved to 10pm, so his fans aren't that endeared to him it seems.  And Leno should have never signed the contract to do this show to begin with.  Conan got the show because Leno announced and decided he would retire.  He later changed his mind, and NBC feared they'd lose Leno to another network, so they gave him a new show.  He should have just stuck with the retirement plan.