# Jay Leno to 10PM



## Rob77 (Sep 24, 2007)

Looks like Jay Leno is not leaving NBC. His show will move to 10 PM 5 days a week.
With NBC prime time rating problems, this could be a smart move providing good lead in to 11pm local news, then lead in to Conan O'Brien at 11:30. Interesting change of events.


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## tcusta00 (Dec 31, 2007)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081209/ap_en_tv/tv_nbc_leno

This is interesting news... I wonder if CBS will follow suit.


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## Fontano (Feb 7, 2008)

As I find that as an intresting turn of events.
Does that mean NBC is abandoning the 10pm/9pm TimeSlot?

In the sense of them not showing their typical Drama's and Dateline broadcasts?

I know FOX does that in most markets, just 2 hours of primetime programming.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

The word "compromise" comes to mind.

Jay clearly has been hinting for many months that he's not in a hurry to leave, and yet the commitment was made to Conan (who personally I don't care for anyway), so to be fair...something had to be done.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

It's cost saving for them...they don't have to produce or bring on new shows for that time slot. Of course they could also have dead air there and say the same thing.

I think it will fail. Leno isn't that good or entertaining and there's a big difference between what people will expect and watch during the prime time hours and what they'll watch at 11:30.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Leno won't get the ratings at 10pm compared to other networks I bet... BUT if his show is considerably cheaper to produce than 5 other 10pm drama/comedy/whatever programs then it can still be a "win" for NBC to fill the time, sell adverts, and save money on programming costs.

I don't care for Leno, though, so I won't be watching.


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## SamC (Jan 20, 2003)

This is a huge event. One of the Big 3 Original Networks is giving up serious programming in one-third of its weekday time slots. 

Any non-O and O NBC affiliate will be looking to see when its contract is up for renewal, or to see what else it can plug in there. Particularly in the Eastern and Pacific time zones, there is no reason not to do the news at 10, and thus compete with Fox (and in the biggest cities CW and/or My) affiliates, or to run stuff like Jeopardy or Oprah reruns.


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## Scott in FL (Mar 18, 2008)

HDMe said:


> ...if his show is considerably cheaper to produce than 5 other 10pm drama/comedy/whatever programs then it can still be a "win" for NBC to fill the time, sell adverts, and save money on programming costs.
> 
> I don't care for Leno, though, so I won't be watching.


I think this is the main reason: Leno's show is cheaper to produce. That's why we're seeing so many (of those awful) reality shows. They're cheaper to produce than sitcoms or dramas.

Plus, it keeps Leno from going to another network.

There was an interesting programming change in the UK a few years ago. Graham Norton was getting huge ratings on Channel Four, so the BBC convinced him to jump ship. They watered down his show and his ratings weren't as good on the BBC, but it kept him off the other network!

P.S. - I agree. I don't like Leno either. NBC should've gone with Letterman!


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## Richierich (Jan 10, 2008)

Ken S said:


> It's cost saving for them...they don't have to produce or bring on new shows for that time slot. Of course they could also have dead air there and say the same thing.
> 
> I think it will fail. Leno isn't that good or entertaining and there's a big difference between what people will expect and watch during the prime time hours and what they'll watch at 11:30.


Isn't that funny because my wife and I just Love Leno and can't stand the Tricked Up Conan who just does the same thing over & over and it was cute & funny the first 100 times I saw it but it got old.

Thank God Jay Leno has been picked up at 10:00 P.M. because I'll definitely record it.


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

Ken S said:


> It's cost saving for them...they don't have to produce or bring on new shows for that time slot. Of course they could also have dead air there and say the same thing.
> 
> I think it will fail. *Leno isn't that good or entertaining* and there's a big difference between what people will expect and watch during the prime time hours and what they'll watch at 11:30.


I agree. I have tried to watch him a few times and was unimpressed. I'm a Carson kid and I don't think anyone can take his place. I don't care what time Leno/Letterman are on, they won't be on my tv.


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## Richierich (Jan 10, 2008)

I guess it's different strokes for different folks and probably depends alot on your age as to which one you like to watch. Conan is too goofy.


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

richierich said:


> I guess it's different strokes for different folks and probably depends alot on your age as to which one you like to watch. Conan is too goofy.


Hmmm.....I'm not to sure age has much to do with it, I never liked Leno when he was a guest of Carsons', I did like Letterman when he was first on. I guess my tastes in humor have changed..


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

I'm moving this to TV Show Talk.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

Ken S said:


> I think it will fail.


Let's hope!

I'd rather have a root canal than have to listen to or watch Leno.


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## txtommy (Dec 30, 2006)

RunnerFL said:


> Let's hope!
> 
> I'd rather have a root canal than have to listen to or watch Leno.


+1

There goes the NBC prime time lineup. It's already overloaded with unreal 'reality', football and other less than inspiring programs. Adding Leno to prime time will almost make me remove NBC from my custom guide. About all they have left to watch will be the evening news.


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## MikeW (May 16, 2002)

Once I grew tired of Law and Order, I stopped tuning in to NBC. I watched a few episodes of "30 Rock" thinking it might grow on me, but it didn't. Aside from Sunday Night Football, which is almost done for this year, I don't tune to NBC at all. Moving Leno to 10 will seal the deal for another season.


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## MIKE0616 (Dec 13, 2006)

txtommy said:


> +1
> 
> There goes the NBC prime time lineup. It's already overloaded with unreal 'reality', football and other less than inspiring programs. Adding Leno to prime time will almost make me remove NBC from my custom guide. About all they have left to watch will be the evening news.


And their news is following the rest of their programming down the tubes as well.


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## Indiana627 (Nov 18, 2005)

One less potential conflict in the 10PM hour with this announcement for me. My tuners will now be more available at 10PM to record/watch other networks.


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## Joe Bernardi (May 27, 2003)

Indiana627 said:


> One less potential conflict in the 10PM hour with this announcement for me. My tuners will now be more available at 10PM to record/watch other networks.


+1


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

I'm not saying Conan, Letterman or even Oprah would do a better job than Leno in this time slot. I think it's a far different and much larger audience than the 11:30 time slot. I think to hold ratings you have to offer more than a talk show.

Is this just NBC saying if we're going to get bad ratings we might as well not pay much to get them?


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Ken, I laughed when I read that but I think you're right.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

Ken S said:


> Is this just NBC saying if we're going to get bad ratings we might as well not pay much to get them?


IMHO yes...

They saw that a "Variety Show" in primetime would fail with Rosie, why try it with Jay?


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## GaryPotter (Apr 12, 2008)

SamC said:


> This is a huge event. One of the Big 3 Original Networks is giving up serious programming in one-third of its weekday time slots.
> 
> Any non-O and O NBC affiliate will be looking to see when its contract is up for renewal, or to see what else it can plug in there. Particularly in the Eastern and Pacific time zones, there is no reason not to do the news at 10, and thus compete with Fox (and in the biggest cities CW and/or My) affiliates, or to run stuff like Jeopardy or Oprah reruns.


I'd be flabbergasted is that actually happened. And it's not like it's actually "giving up" the time. It's just not doing it's normal thing this time around.


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## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

RunnerFL said:


> They saw that a "Variety Show" in primetime would fail with Rosie, why try it with Jay?


Did you watch any of Rosie's show? It was garbage, a complete ego trip. Variety isn't a dead format, American Idol is essentially a variety show and it's ratings are huge.

My main question - will they be able to find enough celebrities to fill three nightly talk shows? I suspect there'll be a bit of a booking war between Jay and Conan.


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

It will fail.

But, potentially 5 less things I have to record (or knowing NBC, one less thing), so I'm all for it.


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## MIKE0616 (Dec 13, 2006)

mreposter said:


> Did you watch any of Rosie's show? It was garbage, a complete ego trip. Variety isn't a dead format,* American Idol is essentially a variety show* and it's ratings are huge.


American Idol is more an extension of Barnum's formula for success in that its a "freak show" more than a "variety show." (Personally, I am waiting to see FOX put on "American Cannibals" in which the contestants chow down on dead relatives or "American Sadists" in which the contestants ...... well, you get the idea. Not that I am saying that FOX would do ANYTHING for a ratings point, but IMO, they would.) 



mreposter said:


> My main question - will they be able to find enough celebrities to fill three nightly talk shows? I suspect there'll be a bit of a booking war between Jay and Conan.


Not having enough "celebrities" hasn't stopped the Leno / Letterman battle for years. When none are available, the producers just invent a few.  The late night variety show went when Carson was forced out.


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## trainman (Jan 9, 2008)

mreposter said:


> My main question - will they be able to find enough celebrities to fill three nightly talk shows? I suspect there'll be a bit of a booking war between Jay and Conan.


More than that: Jay, Conan, Jimmy Kimmel, and Craig Ferguson will all be booking celebrities in L.A., plus Letterman and Jimmy Fallon (and Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, to a lesser extent) in New York.

Can't wait till they have to just start choosing people at random out of the L.A. phone book!


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## xIsamuTM (Jul 8, 2008)

Yet I would think more people would want to watch The Colbert Report rather then Leno. I mean, aside from the simpsons, KotH, and American Dad, I don't really watch local channels.


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## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

Initial word is that Leno plans to do pretty much the same exact show, just in an earlier time slot. Same opening bits, same band, etc. It'd be nice to see him showcase some new up and coming comedy talent, like Carson did, to pump some new blood into the business.


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## n3ntj (Dec 18, 2006)

I also heard the new Leno show will be very similar to the current Tonight Show. Just curious, then, what Conan's Tonight Show will be like. Can't imagine they'd do two similar shows 90 minutes apart. Not a big fan of Conan (a little too weird for me), but I look forward to the Leno show. I think it starts next fall?


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

n3ntj said:


> I also heard the new Leno show will be very similar to the current Tonight Show. Just curious, then, what Conan's Tonight Show will be like. Can't imagine they'd do two similar shows 90 minutes apart. Not a big fan of Conan (a little too weird for me), but I look forward to the Leno show. I think it starts next fall?


I always figured Conan would take his show format to 11:30pm with just a few minor tweaks to "adult content" for the earlier timeslot. That's pretty much what Letterman did when taking his 12:30pm show to 11:30pm on CBS. Similar format, but toned down a little for the earlier slot.

Leno will have to do similar for a 10pm timeslot, since he'll be in primetime so some of the 11:30pm stuff might have to be shelved for the earlier hour.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

Howard Stern mentioned that it's possible that Leno's show could do well...he may be right. Years back Merv Griffin's show was broadcast at 10PM and it did very well against the networks.

So, who knows, maybe it will work. I still kind of doubt it, but then again...who would have thought some of the other rubbish on nowadays would draw viewers.


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## trainman (Jan 9, 2008)

Ken S said:


> Years back Merv Griffin's show was broadcast at 10PM and it did very well against the networks.


It was syndicated, so the time slot varied from place to place -- the Metromedia stations and a few others in big markets did have it on in prime time, but it was more common nationwide for it to be in afternoon time slots (3:00 or 4:00 P.M.).


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

trainman said:


> It was syndicated, so the time slot varied from place to place -- the Metromedia stations and a few others in big markets did have it on in prime time, but it was more common nationwide for it to be in afternoon time slots (3:00 or 4:00 P.M.).


Yes, you're correct...it was on at 10PM in NYC. This was also at a time when most people only hand a handful of choices.


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## NeonJediKnight (Feb 26, 2009)

Had no idea that Leno was going to be on in a different timeslot. But just wanted to throw in my two cents baout NBC in general.

I have to agree with the few that more or less panned NBC or only some of its programs. That network is going downhill. I don't watch anything that NBC has to offer except Conan(which is going to be tough when he takes over the Tonight Show because I like Letterman better), Nightly News w/Brian Williams(much better than Couric or Charlie Gibson, but still doesn't live up to Brokaw), and the Today Show. The Today Show is all right, but can do without Al Roker(How I wish Willard Scott would come out of retirement), and the Today Show is only marginally better than CBS' Early Show. I would watch the Early Show if it was shot in 16:9 HD, but while it's still in 4:3 SD I won't for now. But would pick the Early Show or Today over Good Morning America. Quite frankly, I don't care for any of the morning shows.

I'd also like to add that I'm still new to this HD Local thing... Only been getting HD locals through Dish alone and not worrying about OTA in my part of Illinois since going digital Feb 17th.

Channels that I assume shutoff their analog for good:

WCIA(CBS)
WRSP/WCCU(FOX)
WCIS/WICD(ABC)
WAND(NBC)(Just wish this channel would someday show Jeopardy! and Wheel in actual HD)

Channels that have yet to go only digital and air some HD shows:

WILL(PBS)
WSEC(PBS)(Interestingly, all the shows I've watched on this channel with Dish set to Normal are windoboxed)
WEIU(PBS)
WCFN(MyNetworkTV)
WBUI(CW)


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

Ken S said:


> I'm not saying Conan, Letterman or even Oprah would do a better job than Leno in this time slot. I think it's a far different and much larger audience than the 11:30 time slot. I think to hold ratings you have to offer more than a talk show.


I'd tend to agree.

Unless Conan changes his ways....I suspect he may end up with miserable ratings. He's just too whacked out and bizzare.

He's already not my cup of tea, so I'd never stay up to watch him at all anyway. Moving him up 1 hour earlier means I'll get more sleep now with Leno at 10pm.


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