I have about had it with the entire late-night fiasco unfolding on NBC. While this will prove to be a learning opportunity for public relations professionals and teachers, my goal is to make some sense of this muddled situation.
Conan and Leno have made the most of the feud during their monologues and interviews, too frequently bordering on “too far,” especially in Conan’s case.
Unfortunately for NBC, one of the first official responses from NBC executive Dick Ebersol definitely did not go through his PR team:
The executive, Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports, said the reason for Mr. Leno’s return to NBC’s late-night roster after a short stint in prime time this season was a simple one: disappointing ratings for Conan O’Brien’s “Tonight Show.”
Referring to the pointed jokes made this week by Mr. O’Brien and David Letterman of CBS, Mr. Ebersol said it was “chicken-hearted and gutless to blame a guy you couldn’t beat in the ratings.”
He added that “what this is really all about is an astounding failure by Conan.”
So, my question is: Where do these three parties go from here? Is there a solution that will pacify the Conan-loyalists, NBC executives and Leno’s influential team?
The public nature of Conan’s show cancellation and options for a continued relationship with NBC, combined with the nature of late-night monologues and NBC failing in the ratings across the late-night line up, have made for a volatile situation. And I’m sure ABC, CBS and FOX are loving every minute of it.
#1 by Liz Strand on January 16, 2010 - 7:09 am
Considering I almost never watch late night TV, unless one of my favorite actors shows up on the Tivo wishlist, I have a lot of thoughts on this fiasco.
What was NBC thinking in the first place? Sure, Leno may be cheaper than dramas, but showing nothing at all would be even cheaper. You’re a network though, and the idea is to show TV shows…
Somehow, NBC has managed to take the first mistake, and turn it into a million mistakes. They have to eliminate the 9pm (CT) Leno before the newscasts revolt, but they thought they could appease everyone by sliding them later in the evening?
Considering how low Conan’s ratings were, exactly where were all these people now claiming to be on #TeamConan? If they’d been watching all along, this scenario would look a lot different!
Ok, I’m done rambling on now!