• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

B&C: Fallon NBC's First Choice To Succeed Conan

F

FightingIrish

NBC has targeted Jimmy Fallon to replace Conan O’Brien in 2009, according to people familiar with the talks.

As reported by B&C in February, Fallon signed a developmental deal with NBC earlier this year, a deal that at the time included the possibility of his replacing O’Brien, who is scheduled to take over Leno’s chair in 2009.

http://broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6463897.html

Leno is retiring from The Tonight Show in 2009, and NBC has already tapped O'Brien to take over. The article goes into some weird speculation about Leno staying, going to a competing network, etc. I thought Leno decided that 17 years as host was long enough, hence his reason for stepping down. And O'Brien was named successor, to avoid a repeat of the whole Letterman fiasco.
 
Jay was pretty much forced to retire because another network was eying Conan. NBC promised Conan an earlier time slot to keep him. That meant Jay staying until his contract expires leaving it open for Conan.
 
DoubleO said:
Jay was pretty much forced to retire because another network was eying Conan. NBC promised Conan an earlier time slot to keep him. That meant Jay staying until his contract expires leaving it open for Conan.
Click to expand...

What other network? ABC has resisted cancelling "Nightline" and seems happy with Jimmy Kimmell afterward. There's no word on David Letterman retiring. Fox would be insane to try late nights again.
 
Actually, Fox is interested in trying late nights again. I don't believe they have had a weeknight show in late night since the Chevy Chase disaster of 1993-94. But a lot has happened since then. Notably, Fox has Mad TV, which has done very weel for them in the past 10+ years.

And the network is obviously happy with Spike Feresten, whose show is on after Mad TV, has been renewed for another season. I guess there has been some talk recently about him eventually moving to weeknights.

And, yes, Fox was interested in Conan which led NBC quickly tapping him to become host of Tonight in '09. As much as they would hvae liked to have kept Leno around, they didn't want to let a talent like Conan get away. They already made that blunder with Letterman back in the early 90s. At least Leno doesn't use guest hosts like Carson did!
 
FightingIrish said:
NBC has targeted Jimmy Fallon to replace Conan O’Brien in 2009, according to people familiar with the talks.
Click to expand...

So NBC doesn't want Late Night to have a funny host? What gives? :p
 
I don't know if Fallon is the right choice. NBC could do guest hosts, much like what CBS did with their Late Late Show when Craig Kilborn left, to find the right replacement for Conan.
 
I think Fallon did okay when he was co-anchor of Weekend Update but I really can't see him in a hosting position. I haven't a clue what he's done post-SNL, he left what, five years ago? I know NBC is in the gutter right now but have they become so cheap that they're looking for lackluster choices?
 
Why wouldn't Carson Daly just move in to Conan's spot, and Fallon take Carson's spot?
 
Fighting Irish, one man's trash is another man's treasure. You can't think from a personal perspective...you have got to look at target audience, ratings and revenue.

Personaly I like Carson's show, but I generally only see it on Friday nights when I stay up late (12:35 am CT). There are a lot of people that don't get Conan's comedy that won't like him in the Tonight Show slot. Basically in 2009 NBC will become the frat pack of comedy in the evenings no matter if Daly is later or earlier.

On Zap2It.com they are reporting that Daly just signed a contract through 2009 that would keep him in his current slot for years 6 and 7. It also gives information that he has made no secret that he is lobbying for Conan's slot but that NBC also has signed Fallon for the development deal that was mentioned earlier.

It will be interesting to see how this all pans out in the next two years and where (if anywhere) Leno ends up. I read something last week that they might place him in a variety show type format that would air 2 or 3 nights a week in the 7 CT slot. Not a bad idea and it will make sure that you keep a relatively young guy like Leno in the fold and not on FOX or ABC.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom