If Conan Goes To FOX...

[DToTheJ]

What would be the projected start time of his show - 11 PM or 11:35 PM?

Of course, most would argue the latter - but the last time I have ever seen Fox program a show that did not start exactly on the hour or half hour was the 40-minute "Osbournes Reloaded" special following an edition of "American Idol" last year. That's just how they roll. So most likely, it could be an 11 PM or even an 11:30 PM start.

And let's not forget that if indeed Conan does walk over to Fox, Fox has to remember that they are currently committed to another late night host - Wanda Sykes, who does a weekly late night show on Saturdays. Sykes must be asked about the possibility of expanding to five nights a week, and should also be given the choice of whether or not to precede or follow Conan. Of course, preceding him may require only doing a half-hour (or 35-minute) program.

Discuss.

 

[Yeziknoradio]

Fox will most likely air "Best of" Cheaters at 11pm in places that do not have a local fox 11pm newscast, then follow that with Conan...not a bad idea!

 

[BRNout]

Fox will most likely air "Best of" Cheaters at 11pm in places that do not have a local fox 11pm newscast, then follow that with Conan...not a bad idea!

Fun idea, too bad it won't happen. NBC will literally dump wheelbarrows full of cash in Conan's office to keep him from jumping ship to FOX or anywhere else. After all, they have to pay him a very handsome salary anyway. Is a big bump in salary worth moving your show back by a mere 30 minutes? You bet it is.

Remember, there's nothing like lots and lots of money to make you feel a lot better about a bad situation.

 

[Biffstunt]

Back when Carson first took over the Tonight Show, the start time was 11:15. As more stations began running 30 minutes of news instead of 15, they did two openings to the show -- one for those joining at 11:15 and one for those joining at 11:30. Not that Conan should do the same type of thing at Fox for an entire 30 minutes, but what about an 11 p.m. start time with some best of material mixed with a new skit or audience segment, followed by a seamless transition to a traditional talk-show format at 11:30 for an hour?

It could be an awful idea...but I suppose if it were REALLY awful, NBC would already be doing it. ;D

 

[DToTheJ]

Hmmm, kinda like some stations would carry only 60 minutes of the John Davidson show, while other stations would clear the full 90.

 

[BRNout]

Hmmm, I may have to eat fried crow for dinner tonight. Looks like Conan's is balking at the concept of the 30 minute delay. Perhaps it's a negotiating tactic, but it also tells me that this is more up for grabs than I thought (yes, the link is to TMZ.com):
http://www.tmz.com/

 

[mr.ric]

Here's what FOX could do:

10/9c-News
11/10c-News (bigger markets should expand their newscasts)
11:30/10:30c- Conan
12:30/11:30c- Wanda Sykes

With this schedule, FOX could probably match NBC in the ratings, or even beat them at some point. Why not??

 

[LKellerIII]

Here's what FOX could do:

10/9c-News
11/10c-News (bigger markets should expand their newscasts)
11:30/10:30c- Conan
12:30/11:30c- Wanda Sykes

With this schedule, FOX could probably match NBC in the ratings, or even beat them at some point. Why not??

I don't know if agree that newscasts should be expanded. KTVU, the Fox affiliate in the SF Bay Area has a world-class news department. The compete head-to-head with the "Big 3" in morning and evening newscasts. Their hour-long 10 O'clock News is a ratings leader. But I can't see the purpose in expanding it to 90 minutes, or following it with a 30 or 35 minute recap at 11:00 - that would make 5 at 11:00 in this market. What's the point?

If Conan comes to Fox, why not just plug in Seinfeld reruns (or whatever) at 11:00, and get a 5 minute jump on the other 3 late night shows?

 

[mime257]

How about Conan at 10p/11p eastern and allow the stations that currently have 10p/11p 30min news to time-shift / delay the start of Conan's show by 30 minutes?

 

[KTN Corp]

11/10c-News (bigger markets should expand their newscasts)

Fox may beat the Big 3 with the national news (like The National on CBC) at a more accessible time (11:00-11:35/10:00-10:35 Central) than 6:30/5:30 Central.

 

[DToTheJ]

If Conan comes to Fox, why not just plug in Seinfeld reruns (or whatever) at 11:00, and get a 5 minute jump on the other 3 late night shows?

Or maybe even start it at 11:05 - a 65-minute newscast is feasible, given enough advertising is sold. Let's not forget that the whole bane of the 11:35 (10:35 Central) start time for late night shows is so that network affiliates could get more bang for their buck during the late news (no matter how much Ted Turner does not want to believe that ;D )...

 

[justpassingthough]

I say let the affiliates decide when they air the Conan Show. Fox should give them a window, say 10 to 12 eastern/pacific, to air the show. Then they can decide whether it suits them best to expand to 60 minutes of news and start at 11pm, contract to 30 minutes of news and start at 10:30 or whatever fits best with their schedule.

Some Fox affiliates are bound to be upset by be forced to air a late night show, so giving them the power to determine how to program may go to alleviate some of their concerns.

Kevin Reilly telling all of the affiliates they must clear a Conan show at 11:35pm every day will go over like a lead balloon.

 

[Yeziknoradio]

Fox will most likely air "Best of" Cheaters at 11pm in places that do not have a local fox 11pm newscast, then follow that with Conan...not a bad idea!

Fun idea, too bad it won't happen. NBC will literally dump wheelbarrows full of cash in Conan's office to keep him from jumping ship to FOX or anywhere else.
Remember, there's nothing like lots and lots of money to make you feel a lot better about a bad situation.

Is NBC REALLY operating in "Deep pocket" mode?
At this second in time, it's not too complicated to believe FOX may have deeper pockets, or at least appear that way.

Fox may be willing to spend at a time when NBC may be willing to cut...(?)

You see, sometimes in the tv business, a major network may just be happy with fewer viewers on lower spending, rather than a large audience on heavy spending...(as long as ratings don't go too low...)

In simple english, sometimes it's better to be the #2 or #3 network knowing that it cost a lot less to run than it is to be the #1 network, knowing it cost insane bucks to do it.

 

[Markxxx]

The problem with not having a solid start time, is the numbers will be inconsistent in various markets. This makes selling ad time harder.

In today's economy no one has deep pockets really. In the end you have to answer to your stockholders, who all have taken a hit in this shakey economy.

It will really will depend on what Conan's actual salary was and how much money he'll get in a settlement. If Conan was getting 50% of Letterman's numbers on NBC, that is what FOX will base his salary on.

 

[trusty]

The problem with not having a solid start time, is the numbers will be inconsistent in various markets. This makes selling ad time harder.

It would work if Conan were a syndicated show - which is another option. But I don't know any other Tonight Show host that has done that.

 

[cspotrun]

The problem with not having a solid start time, is the numbers will be inconsistent in various markets. This makes selling ad time harder.

It would work if Conan were a syndicated show - which is another option. But I don't know any other Tonight Show host that has done that.

one DID actually, Steve Allen.

 

[MediaBoy4Radio]

Yes............but Steve Allen did his syndicated show long after his network Tonight Show run.

 

[ding12]

I'm gonna guess 11:30. That's the time Philly WTXF 29 FOX was successful airing "Arsenio Hall" and it left 11pm for a syndicated re-run.

In NY, WNYW didn't have Arsenio Hall (he was on WWOR) and I don't think WNYW had any past talk show success to go back from. I know FOX tried "Chevy Chase" at 11 which quickly failed.

 

[pabsungenis]

Jack Paar also did a syndicated show, which didn't last long. Really, the only "Tonight" host who DIDN'T do something else afterward was Johnny.

 

[DToTheJ]

... I don't think WNYW had any past talk show success to go back from. I know FOX tried "Chevy Chase" at 11 which quickly failed.

I believe they had Keenen Ivory Wayans' old late night talk show (aired the same year the "Vibe" late night show premiered). Needless to say, neither was the success that Chevy Chase was in late night.