Affiliates Stand With NBC on Leno
Would love primetime local newscast, but want to see Jay fly
By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/7/2009 11:43:13 AM
NBC affiliates largely seem to side with the network on the recent flap concerning WHDH Boston and Jay Leno. While WHDH announced late last week it planned to debut a 10 p.m. nightly news instead of the new Leno program come fall, the Sunbeam-owned station appears to be alone in its public defiance of the network. (WHDH may have backtracked from its initial stance; the announcement of its 10 p.m. program no longer appears on WHDH.com).
Several managers at NBC affiliates privately say a 10 p.m. news would be far more lucrative than Leno's as-yet untitled program, especially with the affiliates owning the ad inventory. But they say they remain committed to seeing Leno succeed. "We have a contract, and we respect and honor that," says WOOD Grand Rapids VP/General Manager Diane C. Kniowski. "We look forward to seeing how the network will make it a great product."
The word most GMs offer up when discussing Leno's pending program is "consistent"-the show likely won't be a smash, but the NBC funnyman's wide appeal should prevent it from being a bomb too. NBC affiliates board chairman Michael Fiorile says the timely and topical nature of the program will make it essentially DVR-proof.
"It's a safe-harbor type of program," says WCBD Charleston VP/General Manager Rick Lipps. "If it's not #1, at least it's not #3, and it should be better than 80-90% of the new shows the networks put out there."
While they remain frustrated with NBC's inability to find a hit, general managers say relations with the network have been good. They're pleased to see a committee within the NBC affiliates board working on aspects of the Leno program. "The network has been working closely with the affiliate body to work out our concerns," says WRCB Chattanooga President/General Manager Tom Tolar. "I think those will be dealt with, and I think the Leno show will help local news here."
Affiliates around the country said WHDH's announcement took them by surprise, and did not know of another NBC affiliate that planned to stand with WHDH and defy the network. (A Sunbeam TV spokesperson said president Ed Ansin "still had no comment"; WHDH GM Chris Wayland did not return a call for comment at presstime as to whether the station still planned to stick with the 10 p.m. news). Said one Midwestern GM privately, "Why would we walk? We haven't even seen the show yet. Everyone's making assumptions that it'll be the same show [as The Tonight Show]."
NBC affiliate managers point out that, with owned stations in seven of the top ten markets, the network has considerable skin in the game. "NBC is in this as much as we are," says Lipps. "They're not going to let it flounder."
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Friday, April 3, 2009
Radio to the rescue : Local station seeks to clear Leno's new NBC show
While the big media tussle between Ch.7 and NBC over non-carriage of Jay Leno's upcoming network prime-time program is dominating entertainment headlines today, Clark Smidt, owner and operator of WCAP AM 980 in Lowell, has been and is ready to simulcast the show on the radio in comedian's home market.
Clark is telling BRW that he is hoping to have Leno's permission to simulcast the nightly audio. WCAP already simulcasts three daily editions of top rated WCVB-TV/NewsCenter 5. Clark has been operating the heritage WCAP AM 980 since November, 2007. He lives in Leno's former hometown - Andover, MA - and featured Jay Leno as a guest on WBZ 106.7FM(now WMJX) back in 1972, when Leno was just starting out at Lennie's on the Turnpike.
Clark Smidt - 4/8/2009 1:19:47 PM EDT -
Our december issue of Media Matters discusses NBC's gamble with Leno. Find it under Media Matter Archives @ www.mediadynamicsinc.com.
Ann Davis - 4/8/2009 10:20:26 AM EDT -
If Jay Leno's new show does well, I hope it'll stick around. Other than the usual fanfare of celebrity interview, musical guests and comedians... I could picture some comedy sketches and spoofs also being apart of his new show. If the show doesn't do well, I'd assume NBC air an 8-10PM primetime Monday-Saturday... 7-10PM on Sundays, late-night schedule starting at 11PM. Just my 2 cents.
Eric - 4/7/2009 9:31:12 PM EDT -
Maybe
Daniel Belgrave - 4/7/2009 1:05:05 PM EDT
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