Reports: Leno to lose 9 p.m. slot, return to late night

January 07, 2010

by Channel 2 News staff
Thursday, January 7, 2010

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Multiple media outlets reported Thursday that NBC executives have decided to end "The Jay Leno Show" following the Winter Olympics in February.

According to the Web site FTVLive.com, NBC executives came to the conclusion after a number of high-level meetings that the experiment of airing the former "Tonight Show" host at 9 p.m. each weeknight has failed and it is time to move on.

Leno relinquished his duties as "Tonight" host at the end of May to make way for Conan O'Brien, who had hosted "Late Night" since David Letterman left for CBS in the early 1990s.

"The Jay Leno Show" debuted in September and has been routinely trounced in the ratings compared to scripted fare on other networks.

NBC had hoped the reduced costs of producing a nightly talk show in lieu of more traditional programming would offset the decline in ratings, but FTVLive.com says that hasn't been the case.

Factoring in falling revenue at NBC owned-and-operated stations -- seen in ratings declines for late night news programming, which is a significant moneymaker for local TV stations -- and the experiment has not made money for the network.

NBC affiliates -- of which KTUU is one -- have expressed concerns over falling late night news ratings as well.

The New York Times reported that NBC plans to move Leno back to 10:35 where he would have a half-hour show. O'Brien would follow at 11:05. It was not immediately clear who would get the coveted title of "Tonight Show" host.

TMZ.com also reported on the programming shake-up.

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