Jay Leno Prime-Time Experiment Over but an Network Keep Its Late-Night Stars?
NBC to end Leno show Feb. 12 but Leno-O'Brien-Fallon reboot not "a done deal."
Jan. 10, 2010 — -- Amid sinking ratings and worried affiliates, the Jay Leno prime-time experiment will end Feb. 12.
NBC confirmed today it is yanking the comic's 10 p.m. nightly hour once the Winter Olympics begin, and it hopes he will accept a half-hour version of his show at his old time -- 11:35 p.m. -- instead.
"While it was performing at acceptable levels for the network, it did not meet our affiliates' needs and we realized we had to make a change," NBC Universal Television Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gaspin said at the NBC winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif.
"What happened starting in November [was] the affiliates called, saying, 'Wow, wow, our local news is being affected more than we expected,'" Gaspin added.
NBC has spoken to Leno, Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Fallon about moving their shows to later start times, Gaspin said. Under the proposal, O'Brien, the man who replaced Leno as host of "The Tonight Show," would move to 12:05 a.m., and Fallon to 1:05 a.m.
"My goal right now is to keep Jay, Conan and Jimmy as part of our late-night lineup," Gaspin added. "As much as I would like to tell you we have a done deal, we know that's not true. The talks are still ongoing."
NBC said its stars have been given the weekend to think about it. The network doesn't know whether O'Brien will accept a half-hour demotion or bolt to another network.
"What we're hearing from inside the Conan camp is they're kind of 50-50 right now with what they're going to do," said Mike Schneider, TV editor for Variety. "I mean, this obviously is a big smack in the face."
Amid an earlier firestorm of speculation that NBC might can O'Brien altogether, the network released a statement this week declaring its loyalty to the late-night comic.
"We remain committed to keeping Conan O'Brien on NBC," the network said in a statement Thursday evening. "He is a valued part of our late-night lineup, as he has been for more than 16 years, and is one of the most respected entertainers on television."
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