We\u2019ve been critical of NBC but we\u2019re big fans of the network and what it is capable of producing. We know there are a lot of smart people there and have had some great experiences talking with them and appreciate the access they have provided us in the past. We want them to be successful but we feel that in their efforts to please everybody, they are alienating everybody. We don\u2019t buy the idea that the affiliates want Jay Leno back at 11:35pm and that Conan O\u2019Brien is the problem. It was to be expected that there would be an initial dip in viewership when Conan took over \u201cThe Tonight Show\u201d but this loss in viewers was compounded by Leno\u2019s 10pm show which had viewer drop off both at the beginning and at the end of the hour.<\/p>\n
Freeing up the 10pm hour for scripted TV is what everyone really wants: 5 more hours a week of content that has syndication and DVD value. What would be a shame is if Conan loses out because NBC couldn\u2019t commit to him out of fear of losing Leno\u2019s mid-West viewers. We\u2019re not saying Leno doesn\u2019t deserve to be on TV, he\u2019s a solid performer that delivers to a powerful demographis, but doesn\u2019t NBC Universal have about a jillion other channels he could go to and do a show he really wants to do? Give him that chance but let the Peacock finally graduate into the 21st century.<\/p>\n