NBC Late Night Battle: Ryan John

For the people who were accustomed to watching at least Jay Leno's monologue at 11:30 for close to twenty years before they drifted off to sleep, the switch back to an 11:30 pm slot is a welcomed one.  I'd say the only person in a position to complain is Conan and maybe Jimmy Fallon whose talent may be too late for some to catch onto.  But if Leno, Conan and Fallon can cooperatively negotiate a deal as proposed by NBC, not only will it show professionalism and grace, but it will avoid any negative publicity the corporation could face with the stigma of stubborn, egotistical celebrities. It appears the talent is on board though and remaining flexible which, as a viewer, is refreshing.

Apparently Leno's hour long prime time show wasn't leading to sufficient viewership for the 11pm local news programs.  The affiliate stations weren't generating the advertising revenue they wanted to, and consequently, agreed that dropping the Leno show from it's 10pm slot with a scripted television series would be the best substitute.  Ironically The Tonight Show may now be aired the next day, but that is just a matter of semantics.

I think the affiliate stations could have been a little more patient before threatening to go public with their Leno gripe.  For years people probably nestled in bed around 11am to catch the news before enjoying the lighthearted nature of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as a package deal.  So, if local affiliates were able to ride on the coat tails of Leno for so long, shouldn't they maybe grant him some period of grace?  Try telling that to a sales manager who is evaluating a salesman's monthly performance.  Business always begs the question-"what have you done for me lately?"  And lately the Leno show wasn't delivering what the scripted shows at 10pm were last year.  Can Leno's ego handle it?  I'm sure he's confident enough in his entertainment and comedic abilities to shuffle around where NBC see fit.  However, if Conan is the "future of NBC" as executives have said, and he has a desire to honor the Tonight Show tradition of an 11:30pm start, another dilemma may ensue.

On the bright side, NBC could get lucky and develop a new pilot into a hit TV show that should inevitably increase ratings for all while satisfying the local station affiliates.  Or, they could continue to experiment for a couple of years until they find something that works.  As long as they keep Leno, Conan and Fallon happy with the station, I think there is some time and room for further experimentation.