Jay Leno’s prime-time career on NBC will end on Feb. 12. Whether Conan O’Brien’s late-night career with the network will also be ending next month remains to be seen.
Speaking to reporters at the semi-annual Television Critics Assn.’s press tour, NBC Universal Television Chairman Jeff Gaspin confirmed the network will move Leno back to 11:35 p.m. when the Winter Olympics concludes at the end of February.
Although Leno’s weeknight 10 p.m show was performing at an acceptable level for the network, "it did not meet our affiliates’ needs," Gaspin said. NBC’s big affiliate groups, including broadcasters Hearst Corp. and Gannett Co., had been very vocal about how Leno’s show was hurting their late local news. NBC’s audience had dropped about 30% in the three months since Leno went on at 10 p.m. The effect on the affiliates, he said, "forces them to force our hand."
Gaspin said the network still is trying to finalize deals with Leno, O’Brien and Jimmy Fallon. NBC’s hope is to put Leno back at 11:35 p.m., followed by O’Brien at 12:05 a.m and then Fallon at 1:05 a.m.
So, the great electric Leno experiment is over. This gives NBC until the end of February to fill five hours of primetime television with something that will bring the ratings up, please the affiliates and make money.
What’re the odds?