Jay Leno returing to 11:35 PM, Conan in doubt

[jal41]

Various websites are indicating that it appears the shift of Jay Leno back to 11:35 is official. However, the future of Conan O'Brien remains up in the air, but all indications are that he is out at NBC. Fox is talking to him informally.

If Conan goes...it looks like the Tonight Show title will go back to Leno.

I guess we will have to stay tuned...

 

[azumanga]

No doubt Bill Carter will be paying close attention to this -- for a sequel to his book, "The Late Shift".

 

[1069_KIFR]

History repeats? Conan calls David Letterman:

"Dave I don't know what to do, my head and my heart are in direct conflict with each other"

"Conan, if this was me and this is how NBC was treating me, I'd walk. Now that is what I would do. And I did"

"Wow, Dave, I certainly appreciate you taking some time and speaking with me, Thank you!"

Click

FOX announces a new show starring Conan O'Brien. "Talk Show with Conan O'Brien" Weeknights 11pm on FOX

 

[Braves2005]

I believe that Jay Leno is done with NBC and TV in general if the half hour show doesn't pan out (which in my opinion won't last a week) which will be probably only consist of Leno yakking it up with Kevin Eubanks with guitar in hand and Eubanks is no Ed McMahon or Doc Seversten. At least when Ed or Doc talked to Johnny in a conversation like fashion about common ordinary things like what they were doing for Christmas, Thanksgiving, how the family was, etc. , when all Jay and Kevin would talk about would be motorcycles, cars and guitars. That would get old in a hurry.

I think that The Tonight Show will end its 58 year run when Conan goes to FOX.

The only people who are laughing at this debacle right now: Johnny Carson in heaven saying "I Told You So" and Letterman watching his ratings go through the roof.

 

[azumanga]

History repeats? Conan calls David Letterman:

(Dramatisation)

FOX announces a new show starring Conan O'Brien. "Talk Show with Conan O'Brien" Weeknights 11pm on FOX

Actually, Fox would place their talker at 11:35PM, just like all the others -- the Fox stations that have 11PM newscasts would cry foul, and the show may get hurt themselves by competing with local newscasts at 11PM.

 

[adam95]

The only people who are laughing at this debacle right now: Johnny Carson in heaven saying "I Told You So" and Letterman watching his ratings go through the roof.

Letterman is already having a field day with all this; though he's not directly affected this time, it's like deja vu all over again. During Monday's show, he joked that NBC is bringing Carson back to do the 10 pm show. He also suggested that Jay & Conan could be co-hosts of the "Tonight Show". He also mentioned that Jay will land on his chin like he always does. The butt of most of Dave's comments, though, was Carson Daly.

 

[Markxxx]

I don't see Letterman's ratings getting any bigger. They'll remain steady, unless both Leno and Conan are gone.

Conan makes a ton of money. Is FOX going to match his present salary, when he proved he can't get rating against Letterman and now will have to go up against Leno too? Or will FOX take him at a reduced salary? And if so is the reduced salary worth it to Conan?

 

[Nate Wesley]

The only people who are laughing at this debacle right now: Johnny Carson in heaven saying "I Told You So" and Letterman watching his ratings go through the roof.

Letterman is already having a field day with all this; though he's not directly affected this time, it's like deja vu all over again. During Monday's show, he joked that NBC is bringing Carson back to do the 10 pm show. He also suggested that Jay & Conan could be co-hosts of the "Tonight Show". He also mentioned that Jay will land on his chin like he always does. The butt of most of Dave's comments, though, was Carson Daly.

The best reference to this situation (for my money) has actually been on Jimmy Kimmel Live in a segment actually featuring one of NBC's late night talents:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYzapxtLQbM

 

[Biffstunt]

I don't see Letterman's ratings getting any bigger. They'll remain steady, unless both Leno and Conan are gone.

Conan makes a ton of money. Is FOX going to match his present salary, when he proved he can't get rating against Letterman and now will have to go up against Leno too? Or will FOX take him at a reduced salary? And if so is the reduced salary worth it to Conan?

I heard that if Conan were to jump to another network and take a reduced salary as a result of this mess, NBC is responsible for making up the difference in his salary. If true, an interesting contract clause.

 

[BRNout]

I heard that if Conan were to jump to another network and take a reduced salary as a result of this mess, NBC is responsible for making up the difference in his salary. If true, an interesting contract clause.

This is the first truly knowledgeable post in this thread! Yes, Conan gets $20MM per year for the remainder of this year + 3 more years....and he gets that no matter what. If he went to FOX and FOX paid him $100,000 per year, NBC would have to chip in $19,900,000 more. Everyone involved in this knows it all too well - so Conan is quite far from "gone" from NBC. They'll toss lots of money his way, if for no other reason, to keep from paying him huge sums of money to compete against them.

As for Jay, the money he'd be owed is even bigger - so it behooves NBC to find a place for him. Given that Conan's ratings have been soft, there is a justification for this idea of a 30 minute Jay show at 11:35. Honestly, I don't know how that will go - but the Tonight Show loses a lot of audience in that 30 minute period during a normal week.

Will people return to Jay? That's the $30,000,000 question right now.

One thing not in doubt: NBC has screwed things up royally and I am amazed that Jeff Zucker wasn't fired for gross incompetence without even a severance package.

 

[stdjsb25]

From what I saw on last night's show, Conan sounded like he was planing on staying.

 

[jal41]

This is the first truly knowledgeable post in this thread! Yes, Conan gets $20MM per year for the remainder of this year + 3 more years....and he gets that no matter what. If he went to FOX and FOX paid him $100,000 per year, NBC would have to chip in $19,900,000 more. Everyone involved in this knows it all too well - so Conan is quite far from "gone" from NBC. They'll toss lots of money his way, if for no other reason, to keep from paying him huge sums of money to compete against them.

As for Jay, the money he'd be owed is even bigger - so it behooves NBC to find a place for him. Given that Conan's ratings have been soft, there is a justification for this idea of a 30 minute Jay show at 11:35. Honestly, I don't know how that will go - but the Tonight Show loses a lot of audience in that 30 minute period during a normal week.

That is my understanding. Conan has a sweet deal...so that makes it more likely he will walk. Leno's contract apparentlywould involve an act of Congress to break.

One thing not in doubt: NBC has screwed things up royally and I am amazed that Jeff Zucker wasn't fired for gross incompetence without even a severance package.

Anybody with knowlege of sound business practices would not agree to the type of contract Conan has. My understanding is that Zucker does not have knowlege of sound business practices. In most other places, he would have been shown the door a long time ago. Since NBC Universal is in transition now, I suspect Zucker will remain in charge until Comcast takes over. Remember, Zucker is the chairman of the whole NBC Universal company, who is keeping his hands in the day-to-day operation of the flagship product (micromanagement).

I wonder which mail order university Zucker got his degree from?

 

[radiolives]

Thats funny. How is Carson Daily aloud to go on Kimmel when he works for NBC. Just wondering. Also if NBC canned Carson's show he still has a job with CBS Radio as he is doing mornings for 97.1 Amp Radio in LA.

The only people who are laughing at this debacle right now: Johnny Carson in heaven saying "I Told You So" and Letterman watching his ratings go through the roof.

Letterman is already having a field day with all this; though he's not directly affected this time, it's like deja vu all over again. During Monday's show, he joked that NBC is bringing Carson back to do the 10 pm show. He also suggested that Jay & Conan could be co-hosts of the "Tonight Show". He also mentioned that Jay will land on his chin like he always does. The butt of most of Dave's comments, though, was Carson Daly.

The best reference to this situation (for my money) has actually been on Jimmy Kimmel Live in a segment actually featuring one of NBC's late night talents:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYzapxtLQbM