UPDATE pg 11, post 155, CONAN is COMING TO TBS!!

[FireDancer]

I don't think it is fair to judge Leno's numbers against his previous numbers because it is a different show in a different time slot with different goals. To compare lets look at the NFL. Before the season starts different teams set different goals based on their expectations. If the Colts set a goal of reaching the Superbowl, the Bengals set a goal of making the playoffs, and the Texans set a goal of finishing with a franchise best record the latter two have met their expectations while the first hasn't yet even though they are doing the best of the three.

In this analogy Jay's current show is analogous to the Texans while his old show was the Colts. Sure, the new show didn't do as well as the old show just as the Texans didn't do as well Colts but the show still hit its tagets as the Texans still hit theirs.

 

[bicker]

(I think you misread what you replied to.)

Leno regularly beat Letterman, whereas Letterman now regularly beats Conan O'Brien.

Effectively, the comparison is Tonight Show versus Late Show, same time period to same time period, last year versus this year.

 

[Daisy&Max]

I'll go back to watching the Tonight Show when Conan isn't on it. I watch Leno every night and enjoy it. So I'm rooting for Conan to get shoved aside.

 

[AustinTink]

(I think you misread what you replied to.)Effectively, the comparison is Tonight Show versus Late Show, same time period to same time period, last year versus this year.

Back when the Tonight Show had the benefit of lead in, something Conan has not had from day one.

 

[bicker]

If you ask some folks, NBC has sucked for a while, so no, the Tonight Show didn't have "the benefit of lead in".

Most industry experts agree that Leno could do a better job for NBC than O'Brien could. And that's going to make all the difference.

 

[AustinTink]

I have no doubt the ratings will go back up when Jay returns. His core demographic of baby boomers and older will return to him. They moved over to Dave when Conan started up because they don't get (or want) his type of humor. Personally, I don't find Leno amusing. But, there's something for everyone out there. I never watch Jimmy Kimmel, but I caught his impression of Jay last night, and it was hilarious. The writers captured the Leno monologue style perfectly. It starts up at the 2:30 mark...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIks3br-WA4

 

[FireDancer]

Back when the Tonight Show had the benefit of lead in, something Conan has not had from day one.

I don't think lead in is as important now as it once was. Anything I care to watch my DVR records. If the lead in to a show I want to watch is fat guys doing naked jumping jacks I don't care because I just watch what I want to watch and don't let what is before it effect me.

 

[momrek06]

I think The Tonight Show would have been better if NBC left the Prime-time programming alone instead of making it a daily Leno-a-thon. Everyone turns NBC off at 10 now.

ITA!

 

[Deb in IA]

I think Conan's response was great. And I'm not even a big Conan fan!


NBC should be ashamed of itself. What a bonehead move in the first place! I'm no expert, but I could tell that Leno was not going to work as a primetime nightly hour-long show. People are used to seeing that format after the late news, and want scripted shows in the prime 10 pm (9 CST) slot. NBC was obviously trying to save $$, by putting on a show that was much cheaper to produce. And anytime you make a decision based purely on money, it is bound to fail.

The backlash from people looking to that time for their regular entertainment was immediate. I, for one, would immediately turn off Leno or look for other shows to watch (except for when Leno had Hugh Jackman on this week . . . ).


I don't blame Conan at all for leaving. He got a raw deal. Most late-night hosts build their target audiences over many, many years. Conan got 7 months. And yanking him around the schedule like that, just because Leno bombed is not fair to him at all. Yes, Conan is trailing Letterman, but who knows? If he had another year or two, maybe things would have been different.

What a mess NBC has made.

 

[TheZue]

All Leno has done since he got that 10pm slot is whine. It's not going to change when they move him back. He wasn't that funny to start but now he's just a downer. I am VERY unimpressed with his lack of class.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

I love Conan! Always have. I would watch Conan but not Leno even when Conan was the red-headed stepchild (literally!) of NBC (though sadly it seems like he still is)

Conan proved that he deserved that spot. The differences between his show and Jays back in the day was glaring. I could practically see Conan and Andy sitting in a closet sized room coming up with material for the show then going over to a warehouse and digging out the props themselves while Jay had an army of people doing what needed to be done.

And each night I was rolling from their comedic endeavours whereas the best part of Jays show was the headlines

Conan worked hard to achieve what he has and for it to be ripped away from him is despicable.

NBC is not the Leno network. They need to center their attention on their programming and not on one man.

 

[themilesfamily]

I've never seen a network that handles transitions as poorly as NBC. This is just a repeat of the bad-blood that occurred the last time there was a transition regarding the Tonight Show. Remember the Carson/Letterman/Leno fiasco? It was so ugly that someone made a movie about it. (The Late Shift)

I don't understand why everyone wants the "Tonight Show" anyway. It will always be Johnny Carson's show -- Johnny Carson will always be the best. Anyone who takes over will always be in the shadow of Johnny Carson.

I think Leno is a TERRIBLE interviewer. He gets great guests, but the interviews are just dullsville. I think Conan is an excellent interviewer and can make an interview with even a no-name guest interesting and funny. But, again, I think he was better in his own show -- he seemed to feel like he had to change to fit the Tonight Show mold, and he's not as funny now.

Scrap the Tonight Show. Johnny Carson is long-gone. Let Conan have a new show that fits his style and let Leno have a show with a format that fits his style. If they don't want it -- buh-bye.

 

[Planogirl]

Conan's statement is amazing. I wish the best for him and will just stick to CBS. NBC is a mess.

 

[bicker]

I've never seen a network that handles transitions as poorly as NBC.

I think you need to ask yourself when you remember any of the major broadcast networks handling a similar transition in a manner that you would consider to be excellent. NBC has had an embarrassment of riches with regard to great staff, which has caused these problems. CBS didn't have a Leno and Letterman to choose from... they simply scraped up the leftovers that didn't fit on NBC's overflowing plate. Similarly, in this case, NBC has both Leno and O'Brien, and Fox has nothing, except hopes that they'll be able to snap one of them up.

The only thing close that other networks have had to go through were the various news anchor transitions, and, in that smaller context, those other networks have messed up as at times. ABC was notorious for that, first with the transition from Cochran to Jennings in 1965. They had problems with this all through the 1970s, ending with the non-decision that led to Jennings return as sole anchor in 1983. Clearly there was no real plan, no real long-term thinking applied. And then ABC fumbled this again, in 2006, with Vargas and Woodruff.

And CBS didn't have a smooth time of this either, with the whole Rather/Chung debacle.

Meanwhile, NBC again had an embarrassment of riches, essentially having to decide whether to give the top job to Brian Williams or Katie Couric. Rest assured, just like with Leno and Letterman, other networks would have loved to have such a problem as having to decide between Williams and Couric! Even going back in time, it was very smooth for NBC, From Chancellor/Brinkley, to Brokaw, to Williams.

So no, I think you cannot say that NBC handles transitions poorly. They have simply have greater opportunities, and therefore greater visibility on their decisions, than the other networks have had.

 

[AustinTink]

Conan's statement is amazing. I wish the best for him and will just stick to CBS. NBC is a mess.

Conan is a class act. Leno showed his true colors with the original Carson/Letterman/Leno debacle. That left a bad taste in my mouth all this time. He's greedy. How man cars does he need, really? So, for all you on Team Conan check out imwithcoco.com you can link it to your facebook as a fan. It was at 12,000 when I joined around 1pm now it's close to 35,000 followers. Not that it would do any good for his case. But it is making national news.

 

[Mufasa&Simba]

Conan is a class act. Leno showed his true colors with the original Carson/Letterman/Leno debacle. That left a bad taste in my mouth all this time. He's greedy. How man cars does he need, really? So, for all you on Team Conan check out imwithcoco.com you can link it to your facebook as a fan. It was at 12,000 when I joined around 1pm now it's close to 35,000 followers. Not that it would do any good for his case. But it is making national news.

It has 36,000 members and growing!! I'm so worried about my Coco and I'm showing all the support I can. Don't screw this up NBC and I hope Jay makes the right decision, too (but I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't!)

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I think Conan's response was great. And I'm not even a big Conan fan!


NBC should be ashamed of itself. What a bonehead move in the first place! I'm no expert, but I could tell that Leno was not going to work as a primetime nightly hour-long show. People are used to seeing that format after the late news, and want scripted shows in the prime 10 pm (9 CST) slot. NBC was obviously trying to save $$, by putting on a show that was much cheaper to produce. And anytime you make a decision based purely on money, it is bound to fail.

The backlash from people looking to that time for their regular entertainment was immediate. I, for one, would immediately turn off Leno or look for other shows to watch (except for when Leno had Hugh Jackman on this week . . . ).


I don't blame Conan at all for leaving. He got a raw deal. Most late-night hosts build their target audiences over many, many years. Conan got 7 months. And yanking him around the schedule like that, just because Leno bombed is not fair to him at all. Yes, Conan is trailing Letterman, but who knows? If he had another year or two, maybe things would have been different.

What a mess NBC has made.

I totally agree. I think NBC messed up big time.

I like both Leno & O'Brien, but don't agree with moving Conan back. I also think they never should have put Jay in the 10:00 slot for every night.

 

[momrek06]

It has 36,000 members and growing!! I'm so worried about my Coco and I'm showing all the support I can. Don't screw this up NBC and I hope Jay makes the right decision, too (but I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't!)

TEAM CONAN!!!

 

[irishbosoxfan]

It has 36,000 members and growing!! I'm so worried about my Coco and I'm showing all the support I can. Don't screw this up NBC and I hope Jay makes the right decision, too (but I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't!)

It's now 54,366! In 3 hours it gained almost 20,000!

 

[chisnpeke]

I don't understand why people call Leno "greedy"? If I remember correctly, he never spent any of his "Tonight Show" money. He does stand-up in Vegas and around the country.

I don't buy that Jay is a bad person.

Conan's letter was very classy and well written. This whole thing is a mess. Couldn't they shorten Jay's show to a half hour at ten then put in a half hour show after him?