So What’s Jay Leno’s New Show Gonna Be Like, Anyway?
Now that reactions to Jay Leno's upcoming move to the 10 p.m. slot have poured in from the furthest reaches of the talk-show circuit, it's time to take a step back and start to think about the creative changes that will be necessary for The Jay Leno Show to make when it starts up in the fall of 2009. Just kidding, no one really cares about the creative process! During yesterday's press conference in Burbank hosted by Leno and NBC co-chiefs Marc Graboff and Ben Silverman, the major motif was one of fiscal re

Sepinwall on TV: NBC has nothing but Leno left to lose
Jay Leno and NBC CEO Jeff Zucker.Midway through the press conference yesterday to announce that Jay Leno would stay at NBC and take over the 10 p.m. timeslot Monday through Friday, I asked NBC boss Ben Silverman what sort of domino effect devoting five hours a week to Leno would have on the rest of primetime.

Buyer: NBC’s Leno Strategy Reflects Broadcast Erosion
A leading ad buyer says NBC’s decision to put Jay Leno into the 10 p.m. time slot is a sign of the times, reflecting the erosion of broadcast audiences, the effects of the digital video recorder and NBC’s strategy of managing for margins, rather than for ratings. The broadcast networks have long garnered premium prices for commercials because they were the only way to reach a mass audience of viewers. But Laura Caraccioli-Davis, executive VP at media buyer Starcom, says the days of being able to reach

Jay Leno takes his act to prime-time TV
NBC Entertainment Co-Chairman Ben Silverman (L) speaks next to talk show host Jay Leno during a news conference in the Universal City area of Los Angeles December 9, 2008. (Gus Ruelas/Reuters)Reuters LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Comic Jay Leno will launch his own nightly talk show in prime time next year in a landmark television deal that keeps him from moving to a rival network after his planned departure as host of "The Tonight Show," NBC said on Tuesday. The new one-hou

When Going Gets Tough, Ben Goes Skiing
Ben Silverman posed for photographs hitting the slopes yesterday at the Deer Valley Celebrity Skifest in Deer Valley, Utah. What, him worry about layoffs or cutbacks or fourth place? What a terrible PR move.

Zucker says NBC may scale down programming hours
A terrible fall season at NBC is forcing the network to consider scaling back the number of hours it airs programming, Chief Executive Jeff Zucker told an investor conference. NEW YORK — A terrible fall season at NBC is forcing the network to consider scaling back the number of hours it airs programming, Chief Executive Jeff Zucker told an investor conference. While N

Moonves: The Model Ain't Broken
Days after rival NBC Chief Executive Jeff Zucker bemoaned the broadcast television model and gave five prime-time hours over to Tonight Show host Jay Leno, CBS Chief Executive Leslie Moonves arrives with another story. "I'm here to tell you the model ain't broken," he said to a room full of investors at UBS'

Jack Cafferty: Palin's "Pathetic" Video Doesn't Deserve an Excuse
Jack Cafferty is one harsh bitch: After the CNN commenter made some vaguely racist remarks towards the Chinese during the Olympics, he is now prepping for a comeback by launching not-so-vague insults in Sarah Palin's direction. Here's Cafferty on the Palin/Couric interviews:   "That is one of the most pathetic pieces of tape I have ever seen from someone aspiring to one of the highest offices in this country," he continued. When Blitzer tried to be diplomatic, Cafferty shot back

NBC May Scale Back Shows; Heroes, Knight Rider Disappoint
A terrible fall season at NBC is forcing the network to consider scaling back the number of hours it airs programming, NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker told an investor conference in New York on Monday. While NBC will continue to fund the creation of pilots, Zucker told analysts at a media investor conference sponsored by UBS that NBC is considering cutting the number of hours or perhaps even the number of nights it provides programming. "Can we continue to program 22 hours of

How Sloan Barnett Got Her Friends to Go Green
"I'm just a normal girl. I don't live in a log cabin, I wear leather shoes," said eco-socialite Sloan Barnett. "I'm just like you, but I try every day to do better!" Ms. Barnett, who is 40, was the guest of honor at a book party Wednesday evening hosted by President and CEO of NBC Universal Jeff Zucker and his wife Caryn at the Central Park Boathouse. Ms. Barnett's new book, Green Goes with Everything: Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet, came out a couple weeks ago. B

Jeff Zucker says GE committed to NBC Uni
NBC Universal president and CEO Jeff Zucker reiterated the strength of parent GE’s commitment to the media company Friday, calling it “profound” despite the recent financial turmoil and the profit warning issued Thursday by GE. “I think it’s looking at it backwards,” he said, when asked whether GE was under renewed pressure to sell NBC because of the tightening of liquidity in financial markets. “NBC’s significance only increases if there is less coming from

Can Jeff Zucker be impeached over this Leno development?
Filed under: OpEd, Celebrities, Talk Show, Reality-FreeI read Brad's post about NBC keeping Jay Leno in the fold and I think it's the latest move by NBC to ruin TV. Can Jeff Zucker be impeached? I'm so fed up with the way he's be running -- ruining -- the network that I'm ready to bust. Seriously, is there anybody over there that still has any connection to what viewers want to see? Basically, NBC is ready to try something completely radical and -- in my estimation -- ridiculous, even though i

Zucker ramps up production in U.K.
International News: NBC U chief says cost issues driving shift -- NBC Universal topper Jeff Zucker has signaled his intention to shift some TV production away from the U.S. and move it to Europe as cost pressures escalate.

Local TV Profoundly Affected by Downturn, NBC Says
The U.S. economic downturn has had a severe effect on broadcaster NBC’s local television stations but the company has not yet seen an advertising slowdown at a national level, its chief executive said. “It’s had a profound effect on our local TV stations, which were highly dependent on auto and retail advertising,” NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker told a conference of Britain’s Royal Television Society in London on Friday. “We haven’t seen an advertising slowdown on

A women's group called New Agenda is campaigning ... [Chris Matthews]
A women's group called New Agenda is campaigning against Chris Matthews aka my secret celebrity crush, because of what it feels are his sexist attitudes. According to Politico's Michael Calderone, they've sent a letter to Matthews' boss, NBC Universal head honcho Jeff Zucker, asking for "a meeting to discuss Matthews’ attitude toward women." In addition, New Agenda is sending letters to Democratic party officials in Pennsylvania, as Matthews is rumored to be contemplating a run for office in the Keystone

‘Jay Leno Show’ Takes Competitive Pressure Off, Graboff Says
The host of “The Jay Leno Show” doesn’t expect to beat first-run versions of the scripted drama it will compete with at 10 p.m. weeknights starting in fall 2009. He doesn’t have to, said Marc Graboff, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, at a Burbank press conference the day after it was learned that Mr. Leno, who had been assessing his options for after Conan O’Brien takes over “The Tonight Show” June 1, decided to stay with NBC. “We are not trying to compete,”

Leno to 'Jaywalk' to 10 P.M. in 2009
Last night, The New York Times' Bill Carter broke the news that NBC will be moving Jay Leno to 10 p.m. in 2009. According to Mr. Carter: The new show, which will begin next fall, is expected to be set in Mr. Leno’s longtime studio in Burbank, Calif. Mr. Leno is expected to retain many of the most popular elements of his 'Tonight Show,' including his monologue and bits like 'Headlines' and 'Jay Walking.' One 'Tonight Show' staff member said the new program would not be a variety show. Under the new arrange

Winners And Losers of the Jay Leno Switch [Television]
Jay Leno is moving to 10 p.m., every god damn night of the week! That sure is something. You never realize how many people love Jay Leno until something like this happens (or until you find yourself in a comedy club in Winston-Salem, talking to the owner, Roy). NBC is obviously happy about it—and so is Jay, or he would have taken his middling act elsewhere—but, as in everything in showbiz, some people got screwed in this deal. After the jump, the biggest winners and losers of the Return of the C

Jay Leno to Stay at NBC in All-New Time Slot — Right Before Conan!
Wow! Despite a July USA Today interview in which he claimed "I am definitely done next year — with NBC," Jay Leno will remain with the Peacock on his own nightly 10 p.m. talk show when he cedes his 11:30 slot and the Tonight Show to Conan O'Brien next summer, reports Vulture buddy Nikki Finke, who seemingly has Jeff Zucker's office bugged these days. This comes after ceaseless speculation that Leno would move to ABC, which pretty much means NBC is paying him heretofore unimagined amounts of money. Th

Gervais, Whoopi Set to Stand Up for Heroes
Comics Ricky Gervais, John Pinette and Whoopi Goldberg are scheduled to appear for an event benefiting the Bob Woodruff Foundation. The second annual “Stand Up for Heroes: A Benefit for the Bob Woodruff Foundation,” presented by the foundation and the New York Comedy Festival, is scheduled for Nov. 5 at New York City’s Town Hall. Stand Up for Heroes will honor and raise money for the United States’ injured servicemen and –women, with all proceeds going to the Bob Woodruff Foundation, named after

Leno's Move to 10 p.m. Could Set Off Prime-Time Domino Effect
NBC's groundbreaking deal to move Jay Leno to 10 p.m. weeknights promises to radically alter the rules of prime time, even as it promises significant ramifications for numerous other aspects of the TV business. Already reeling from NBC's Monday massacre of the network's executive ranks, industryites were surprised by the news that Mr. Leno had agreed to stay with the network in order to host a nightly comedy and talk show in prime time. NBC was expected to make Mr. Leno's deal official in a 10 a.m. PST new