Tuesday, October 20, 2009

I'm thrilled to see that local NBC affiliates are unhappy about Leno's 10 pm show. Now that the original buzz has worn off,

Leno's new show averaged about 5.6 million viewers through the first four days of last week, less than half the audience it attracted when it premiered and more than a third less than the audience that NBC drew last season with its longtime schedule of drama shows. The network says the declines are in line with expectations and cautions patience as viewers discover the new time slot for the talk show king.

Yes, because viewership going down is typically consistent with viewers having to find the show. Not with their having found the show ... lacking.

This is what happens when you cheap out on scripted programming. Yeah, you save a few bucks on the programming. But you lose bucks on the ads. And,

NBC's controversial decision to shift the late-night talk show host to 10 p.m. has been ... playing havoc with many of NBC's more than 200 affiliates, where Leno's weaker "lead-in" is undermining audiences of 11 p.m. newscasts. News programs are crucial for local stations, which draw upon them for a third of their revenue.

That's cheery news for the, I dunno, 25-50 or so writers of the five hours of scripted shows that are currently not on the air? Maybe Leno can go back to late night and NBC can put on some new ten o'clock shows?

Labels: programming

12:08 PM

5 Comments:

Didn't they sign a two year contract with him? I think they're boned.

By  Emily Blake, at 12:44 PM  

if NBC was smart, they'd buy out Jay's contract, send him off to pasture and bring their ORIGINAL schedule back...

and bring SOUTHLAND back...that was a decent show that was improving in writing and the like...

and put all these OBVIOUSLY 10pm shows (Trauma, SVU, Southland) back where they belong...

and im starting to feel bad for JJ Abrams and his pilot that's being developed at NBC...im hoping he'll have a place at the peacock.

By  Ryan Canty, at 1:41 PM  

I do honestly think it's "discovery" that has led to the decline. Not so much as when the shows on, but what is on. I don't follow Leno close, but my assumption was that he retired, moved on, and that this little show at 10pm was something all together different than his previous type of show. It's not though, and I was surprised the first time I watched it which was several weeks after it began... I think there needs to be a educational advertising "blitz" to explain what his show is "Same old Leno, Brand New Time" sort of deal.

By  ., at 4:19 PM  

They can't simply go back to the old style with Leno because Conan already has the contract. It's just something they have to endure.

By  JamaicanInToronto, at 11:59 PM  

Preach it, man. Preach it.

By  Little Miss Nomad, at 5:30 PM  

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