# Jay Leno Moves To NBC Prime Time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 9, 2008, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341 "2008-12-09T02:24:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/1 "2008-12-09T02:24:51Z")
From the New York Times: NBC is expected to announce Tuesday that it has signed its late-night star Jay Leno to a new contract that will keep him at the network in a new format that will give him the 10 p.m. time period each weeknight for a show similar to the one he has done on NBC’s “Tonight Show” show since 1993… …No broadcast network has ever before offered the same show in prime time five nights a week. Such so-called “stripped shows” have been a staple of daytime broadcasting. The offer of a new weeknight show for Mr. Leno at 10 p.m., an idea that NBC executives said Monday came from the NBC chief executive, Jeff Zucker, not only allows NBC to retain Mr. Leno’s services, but also means the network may be able to greatly reduce costs of developing and producing other prime-time shows. Only Monday Mr. Zucker appeared at a UBS lunch in New York and suggested that in the future networks might have to cut back on the hours of prime time they program. The daily program with Mr. Leno would effectively cut back the number of hours NBC needed to fill each week from 22 to 17. Full Story At: [NY Times Leno Goes To 10pm](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/business/media/09leno.html) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/2 "2008-12-09T02:32:53Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > …No broadcast network has ever before offered the same show in prime time five nights a week. Such so-called “stripped shows” have been a staple of daytime broadcasting. Not so – Dumont had **Captain Video** on five nights a week during much of its run. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/3 "2008-12-09T02:48:15Z")
He took over for Carson in 92 , not 93. I guess he can stop making jokes about NBC forcing him out. Seems like a big risk but I guess NBC is so bad now maybe this will work out. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/4 "2008-12-09T03:32:12Z")
This is a gutsy move for NBC (which, let’s face it, needs a few gutsy moves in programming.) Not only are they taking a gamble that Leno will be popular enough to succeed in prime time five nights a week, they’re taking a gamble that a talk/variety show will succeed in prime time and that, with Leno and Conan both originating in L.A., that Leno won’t automatically get all the hot guests. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/5 "2008-12-09T03:42:35Z")
I don’t care about Leno, I want my Craig Ferguson on at a decent hour! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/6 "2008-12-09T03:43:16Z")
It’s better than having Leno move to ABC or Fox at 11:30pm. And now NBC doesn’t have to develop regular shows for the 10pm time slot. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/7 "2008-12-09T03:51:13Z")
I haven’t noticed how weak the 10pm time slot is in programing. Leno might be better to watch than everything else. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/8 "2008-12-09T04:18:59Z")
So NBC will have four hours of talk shows on every night? How many starlets are there to interview in this world? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/9 "2008-12-09T04:22:53Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > I don’t care about Leno, I want my Craig Ferguson on at a decent hour! Psst. He’s on the internet! ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/10 "2008-12-09T04:25:08Z")
Well, this is a great way for me not to watch NBC after 10/9Central. Why would I want to watch an ersatz Craig Ferguson instead of a prime-time drama or something? What happens to shows like _My Own Worst Enemy_? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/11 "2008-12-09T04:32:11Z")
What’s a “stripped show”? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/12 "2008-12-09T04:33:52Z")
A show run Monday through Friday. On a programmer’s chart, it forms one long strip. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/13 "2008-12-09T04:41:48Z")
I was thinking next NBC could put Justin Timberlake on Sundays. He is pretty good at comedy and of course he can sing. He can do an Ed Sullivan type of mix ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/14 "2008-12-09T04:50:46Z")
Interesting. I don’t watch Leno but I imagine his fans will appreciate this. But: > [@](#): > > One “Tonight Show” staff member said the new program would not be a variety show. That’s too bad. I might tune in to a real variety show during prime time, but I’m not interested in an hour-long skits and interviews show. If NBC will use the money they’ll be saving to develop new programming, that’d be okay. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/15 "2008-12-09T04:58:40Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Psst. He’s on the internet! Psst. Not when one is on dial-up. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/16 "2008-12-09T04:58:56Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Well, this is a great way for me not to watch NBC after 10/9Central. Why would I want to watch an ersatz Craig Ferguson instead of a prime-time drama or something? > > What happens to shows like _My Own Worst Enemy_? That show has already been cancelled. And the rest of NBC’s Mon-Fri 10pm lineup consists of Law and Order: SVU, Law and Order, ER and Dateline: NBC. So it’s not like Jay Leno is bumping anything good. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/17 "2008-12-09T06:57:32Z")
This is a weird situation. I mean, in effect, very little is changing, except that both Leno and Conan air their respective shows an hour earlier than before…so, this almost sort of undermines Conan’s move to the Tonight Show. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/18 "2008-12-09T09:16:29Z")
Yeah, the talk was that NBC thought Leno wouldn’t remain as strong as he did, and that’s why they signed Conan. The effort, to keep him on, seems a response to buyer’s(?seller’s?)-remorse. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/19 "2008-12-09T12:15:07Z")
Makes sense. Leno’s core audience is getting older. My parents consider themselves fans of Jay, but they’re usually off to bed when the first guest comes on. Same could be said of Conan’s audience, too. He’s built up a loyal following of college-aged people and young professionals. As the responsibilities/careers of this audience increase with age, they’re going to start going to bed earlier. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341/20 "2008-12-09T13:30:55Z")
With DVRs you don’t need to stay up late. I don’t know how many people have DVRs but the number is going up every year. I record Leno and watch it whenever I want, without the ads. I watch many shows on the DVR since I can watch them in 45 minutes instead of an hour and I can set the schedule I like. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-moves-to-nbc-prime-time/476341.md?page=2)