That's the rumor and according to this and TMZ, it's happening right after the Olympics.

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2010/01/is_nbc_moving_jay_leno_back_to.html

TMZ Drop

http://www.tmz.com/2010/01/07/jay-leno-nbc-conan-obrien-tonight-show/

Edited January 8, 201015 yr by JaneAusten

Yeah, Gaspin sounds fairly reasonable, but I guess he had to put that "gave" quote in there just to remind us there will always be a little bit of delusion on display in NBC press.

Nikki Finke on announced scripted dramas and the cancellation.

Ugh! There's absolutely nothing in that list of new shows that sounds remotely interesting. All that's missing is a vampire show. And really? The Rockford Files?! Really NBC?!!

They'd be better off bringing back some of the shows they tanked prematurely like Southland. I didn't watch it but the people I know who did liked it a lot. I hope this means Friday Night Lights is back on deck where it belongs. And Heroes needs to die. I say this as someone who loved it but it's time to give it a morphine overdose and let it peacefully go into the "eclipse."

Edited January 10, 201015 yr by marceline

Ugh! There's absolutely nothing in that list of new shows that sounds remotely interesting. All that's missing is a vampire show. And really? The Rockford Files?! Really NBC?!!

This network is becoming more hilarious with each passing day...

They'd be better off bringing back some of the shows they tanked prematurely like Southland. I didn't watch it but the people I know who did liked it a lot. I hope this means Friday Night Lights is back on deck where it belongs. And Heroes needs to die. I say this as someone who loved it but it's time to give it a morphine overdose and let it peacefully go into the "eclipse."

That's not really a solution for me. I hate that spastic, jerky, stop-then-go method: Let's order Southland. No, wait: we're cancelling Southland. Wait: let's give it another shot... Same with Leno & Conan... That's a big problem with this network: they just don't have anything resembling a long-term strategy. It's all quick "fixes" that actually aren't fixing a thing, only making matters worse.

As for Heroes — I can only say Goodbye!

Edited January 10, 201015 yr by Sylph

If I were Conan, I'd see what another network had to offer and RUN. Except ABC, of course. Or maybe they should keep Leno at 11:30 to prove how much the world has changed since he's arrived. Nightline and Letterman will still outperform his sorry ass.

I think this is a bum deal. They should have killed the Leno show or moved him to 8PM.

I feel bad for Leno and the network's innocent bystanders.

BTW, I am down with another Law and Order, one set in LA.

I'd prefer if they tried to bring back Trial By Jury or at least make it a different show with the same concept.

If I were Conan, I'd see what another network had to offer and RUN. Except ABC, of course. Or maybe they should keep Leno at 11:30 to prove how much the world has changed since he's arrived. Nightline and Letterman will still outperform his sorry ass.

FOX was thinking about offering Conan a deal. And why not ABC? 'Cause it's your favourite?

I feel bad for Leno and the network's innocent bystanders.

That or... Being glad that Nightline and Letterman will "outperform his sorry ass"?

FOX was thinking about offering Conan a deal. And why not ABC? 'Cause it's your favourite?

Not so much because it's my favorite, but I love Nightline and the concept of a show like Nightline in late-night television.

Conan on FOX would be great and so much more edgy. But they would have to stand by him. At least give him two years. But he's proven he can do the late night format, unlike the untested Chevy Chase or Pat Sajak.

That or... Being glad that Nightline and Letterman will "outperform his sorry ass"?

I should have proofread what I said...I shouldn't and really don't feel sorry for Leno. I feel bad for Conan and Fallon, their shows having to start a half-hour later.

I think that will kill their shows instead of help them.

No one wants to watch a half hour of Jay's stale monologue. People watch for the guests anyway. The monologue and the Headlines and Jaywalking are filler. And would they still need a live studio audience for a half hour show? Who the hell would want to come see Jay if Taylor Lautner isn't there?

And on the big news weeks, Nightline will perform well. It usually does.

Edited January 11, 201015 yr by bellcurve

Wow, so Gaspin took the idea of taking Leno out of 10pm to Zucker. Gaspin just gained some points with me. Now he needs to pick up the JJ Abrams and David E. Kelley shows and I'll be on the Gaspin bandwagon.

This Comcast deal just pushed this Leno thing into reality sooner. I think the affiliates threated to used their clout or input to cause some wrinkles in the Comcast acquition. I'll bet if the Comcast thing didn't happen, Jay would have continued at least through the end of season one.

And those NBC shows - yuck.

They need to gut NBC like they did back in the early 80's when they took risks with wonderful shows like Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere and Cheers. It really wasn't until the Cosby Show came into play that they really rebounded in a big way but they were slowly regaining momentum and quality before then. But The Rockford Files really? Without James Garner. You name me anyone like him in the current age of actors that could carry that show. That show was him.

But television as changed so much since then. I don't think anyone at NBC has a clue on what they want their identity to be(at least I think CBS and Fox both know - ABC not completely sure) but the landscape of Television is so different, who knows whey they could do.

Edited January 11, 201015 yr by JaneAusten

I thought this was an interesting article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/business/media/11carr.html

I thought this was an interesting article.

http://www.nytimes.c...dia/11carr.html

Some favorite quotes and comments from the article.

“You have the combination of expired content, in terms of current public taste, appearing at the wrong time on a medium that has lost its salience, by whatever standards you use,” said Paul Levinson, professor of communication at Fordham University.

So, the quote itself is a beautiful triple punch to begin with. But -- this being a soap board -- I couldn't help but see the parallels with our dear soaps. Another comment by the writer evoked the same sense of similarity:

The message to the younger talent is one thing — wait for a turn that may never come or may be taken back at any second — but the message to younger audiences is even clearer: a legacy industry will default to legacy assets and ride them down to the bitter end.The network model explains why Ted Koppel is favored over younger talent to serve as interlocutor on “This Week” and why, when networks make what they see as a risky move — hey, let’s put a woman in the anchor chair — it will be someone like Katie Couric or Diane Sawyer, both of whom have been on television for decades.

That does seem just about right, doesn't it? And it certainly seems to be common to the story that explains why we don't see new soaps, and why the current soaps just get chipped away, disinvested from...and ridden down to nubs.

Well, I for one will miss the broadcast nets for a while...but not so much. Their day certainly seems to be coming to a close.

That does seem just about right, doesn't it?

I'm not sure if daytime has been all that interested in their legacy assets. They ignore or behave with barely concealed hostility towards most vets, while trying to push new faces, not getting that this desperation just helps sink them.

I think a comparable situation for news, or semi-news, would be when Good Morning America brought in Kevin Williams and that godawful Elizabeth Vargas (who went on to make that shameful 20/20 piece about Matthew Shepard). They were billed as new faces, replacing Charlie Gibson (who was regarded as old hat by ABC) and Joan Lunden. They were a huge flop, and ABC had to bring Gibson back.

I'm not sure if daytime has been all that interested in their legacy assets. They ignore or behave with barely concealed hostility towards most vets, while trying to push new faces, not getting that this desperation just helps sink them.

I think a comparable situation for news, or semi-news, would be when Good Morning America brought in Kevin Williams and that godawful Elizabeth Vargas (who went on to make that shameful 20/20 piece about Matthew Shepard). They were billed as new faces, replacing Charlie Gibson (who was regarded as old hat by ABC) and Joan Lunden. They were a huge flop, and ABC had to bring Gibson back.

That was actually Lisa McRee who replaced Joan Lunden. Elizabeth Vargas was at the newsdesk back then.

Another L&O? They were stupid for not giving Trial By Jury more time. It had good ratings on Friday and they haven't been able to come close since canceling that so fast. Then they sacked Criminal Intent and exiled Mothership to Friday. I hope they move Mothership back to a decent night at 10 and SVU at 10 as well. Then hopefully they have one or two good pilots to fill two more nights.

Nina T.:

With CBS solid in the ratings and its programming and management the epitome of stability, the biggest suspense at the network's executive session at the Television Critics Assn.'s winter press tour was over what entertainment president Nina Tassler would say about NBC's Jay Leno debacle. She called Leno taking over a primetime slot at 10 p.m. "an experiment that obviously did not work."

"If we can harken back to when there was a grand proclamation that 8 p.m. was over, they were going to have a whole different strategy," she said of NBC. "Then along came 10 p.m., and they were going to have a whole different strategy."

"Ultimately, there is no substitute for developing great shows, working with great talent and getting your shows on the air," she said. "The unfortunate thing is our creative community was somewhat bruised by this. A lot of people were put out of work and saw this as having a pretty negative impact."

During the Q&A session, Tassler also gave praise to all of its rivals -- except NBC.

"It's been a great season for network television," she said. "It's been an outstanding freshman class across the board. We introduced two top new series in 'NCIS: Los Angeles' and 'The Good Wife.' Fox has 'Glee', ABC has 'Modern Family,' the CW has 'Vampire Diaries.'"

Tassler also confirmed the cancellation of "Three Rivers" but noted reports of eight lives that were saved due to the show raising awareness of organ donation.

The executive also made supportive statements for two on-air CBS talents who have recently made controversial headlines -- "Two and a Half Men" star Charlie Sheen, who was arrested in December in a domestic dispute, and "Late Show" host David Letterman, who admitted to having sex with staff members last fall. In both cases, she emphasized the performer was behaving professionally and did not suggest any consequences were forthcoming from the network.

"We're being sensitive to the fact this is a very personal and very private matter," she said of Sheen's arrest. "There's been no real impact. ... Right now, it's business as usual."

Tassler also was asked about the state of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," which has suffered ratings drops since the departure of original star William Petersen and arrival of new leading man Lawrence Fishburne.

"I think they're doing much better in finding Fishburne's character," she said. "You can't deny Fishburne is a powerful actor and a force to be reckoned with."

That said, Tassler said afterward that CBS would welcome back Petersen with "open arms," though right now "there are no plans" to have him on the show this season.

Regarding Friday's crime lineup, which has slipped in the ratings this season, Tassler said, "We have two shows there, with 'Ghost Whisperer' and 'Medium,' that have good flow. 'Numbers' is being considered for next year, but we had to cut back on its order to get 'Miami Medical' on the air."

Even with real estate sparse, Tassler said the network will continue to shoot as many pilots as last year (about nine dramas and eight comedies). "We can't be complacent," she said.

Tassler was also asked about the decision to put new unscripted series "Undercover Boss" after the Super Bowl.

"We've seen five or six episodes; there is a tone to the show (that) we felt was a great fit," she said. "We think we're going to launch another big branded reality show."