What people don't like isn't that he is getting the 1130 slot again. It's that he pushed for it behind the scenes.
I'd venture to guess that if Leno had as crappy a lead-in as "The Jay Leno Show", he wouldn't be killing Letterman in anything. There's a difference between following up ER or Law and Orders instead of a show watched so little, the local affiliates are boycotting it.
CBS has had better ratings for a while now, but leno still beat letterman. While Leno might not be that funning, I think he is perceived as a hardworking nice guy. While I like letterman he is not so nice to his guests at times, and not as bland as leno.
I'm not comparing NBC to CBS ratings. But rather old NBC ratings with Leno's new show. Basically, CBS lead-in > old NBC lead-in >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Jay Leno Show lead-in.
WSJ reported Conan is talking to Fox. Just think, he moved his entire staff and his family across the US and months later they're already screwing him.
Play this in reverse and it'll all be better. <object width="512" height="296 "><param name="movie" value="http://www.hulu.com/embed/3vfDc2rHARAgl5PcQ-AMZw"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.hulu.com/embed/3vfDc2rHARAgl5PcQ-AMZw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" width="512" height="296"></embed></object> FWIW, I'd be okay with that "screwing." Plenty money to suffer like that. Oh, and that video ^ was the last good moment of the new show, until he bashed them tonight with his "options" bit on the intro/monologue segment. <object width="512" height="296 "><param name="movie" value="http://www.hulu.com/embed/FneGnmYd4E3psOeglYo1Dg"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.hulu.com/embed/FneGnmYd4E3psOeglYo1Dg" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" width="512" height="296"></embed></object>
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.c...-says-he-wont-do-tonight-show-following-leno/ Conan O’Brien Says He Won’t Do ‘Tonight Show’ Following Leno By BILL CARTER Conan O’Brien says he will not do “The Tonight Show” if it airs at 12:05 a.m. He released the following statement Tuesday afternoon: People of Earth: In the last few days, I’ve been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, I’ve been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I’ve been absurdly lucky. That said, I’ve been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision. Six years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over The Tonight Show in June of 2009. Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me. I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future. It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both. But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule. Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn’t the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy. So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn’t matter. But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more. There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work. Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it’s always been that way. Yours, Conan
People always say this and I call bull****. If you got shat on at your job, would you be okay and suffer and take it? I have no idea what you make right now. But I guarantee there are a billion people in the world somewhere who would be willing to be okay with the 'screwing' you might endure at your job.
hmm i firmly believe that the poor ratings of Conan might have something to do with Leno being given the primetime spot, seems to have diluted the market albeit
Conan beat Letterman and all other late night programs in the 4th quarter of 2009. Leno's ratings sucked at 10/9 PM.
i was also thinking about how letterman's feud w/ palin followed by the sex scandal/extortion thing were major ratings boosts - the timing of those events was bad for conan, as it surely cost his show viewers when he needed them most (first few months). and absolutely having leno on before conan hurt the tonight show. many who would have stuck around for conan followed leno to the earlier time slot. diluted is the right word.
I might be stating the obvious here, sir, and I'd like for you to please excuse me for that, but... why don't you say it this clearly to the NBC Executives? Maybe when they received that note and made the decision their dog chewed part of it... and they missed it... or something...?
The problem is he wasn't leading in the ratings in the 3rd, 2nd or 1st quarter. Yeah, I know, he wasn't even hosting the show in the 1st and 2nd quarter but this is NBC we're talking about!
That is, like, your opinion, dude. Cats like me disagree. Letterman is much better than Leno, although I don't dislike Leno, I just don't watch him. He was much better as a guest. Conan should be on late, where his humor plays better with the folks who don't have to get up at the crack of dawn and go to work. At least in my opinion. The mistake NBC made was replacing Carson with Leno instead of Letterman, who Carson handpicked to replace him, and then compounding that mistake by replacing Leno with Conan, who, in my opinion, should never have been moved to that slot.
Why does everyone keep talking about 'prime time ratings support' when the Tonight Show comes on after the news?
because historically, many tv shows ratings depend on the shows in front of them. the reason this is even an issue is because many nbc affiliates are complaining that leno's ratings are causing them to lose viewers. and if they're losing viewers, then the show on after them will lose viewers as well.
