Roger Ogden: Leno Has 'Better Than Even' Chance of Success

I was chatting with former Gannett Broadcasting President/CEO Roger Ogden a little while ago, and Ogden–who’s keeping busy on several boards, including Chyron’s–seemed to think NBC’s move to put Jay Leno on at 10 p.m. next fall was a savvy one. 

"I’m not sure it’s a good thing or a bad thing," he says. "But it was probably a necessary thing. Basically the business model has changed, and you’ll find yourself behind if you don’t experiment. And I think this is worthy of an experiment."
 
Ogden stresses that the project’s fate will ultimately be decided by the format and quality of the show that Leno and NBC–with input from the affiliates–put together. But with Leno’s track record and talent, Ogden is optimistic: "Because of Jay, I give it a better than even chance of winning."