TMZ are reporting that Jay Leno is moving back to 11.30 after the winter Olympics on NBC. But they don't know what's happening to Conan O'Brien.

NBC have said:

It would seem strange to pull it just now. They don't have anything better to put on at 10pm.

I'm actually not altogether surprised about Ross. His chat show is the big commitment (Film 2010 hardly sets the ratings alight and has a natutal successor in Kermode) - and I don't think theres a shortage of candidates to take over.

Shifting Norton across is the obvious move. They wouldn't have to cut down the weeks that drastically either, I wouldn't have thought. His only other permanent commitments are the Eurovision week (and perhaps 1 or 2 selection shows?)and about 10 weeks of an ALW talent show. That seems manageable when you consider what people like Philip Schoefield manage to squeeze into their schedules!

I do like the ideas floated about potential hosts for a new chatshow though (whether on Monday or Friday). I'd love to see Dara O'Brien have a crack at it. You can see from his stand up just how good he is at spontaneous, off-the-cuff humour, and I think his style would suit a chatshow very nicely.

The 10.3m for Regional News last night raises an issue for the Top 20 of 2010. It won't appear in the official ratings because BARB refuses to publish its ratings, instead treating it as umpteen different shows transmitted regionally.

But I defy anyone to argue that the 6.30pm Regional News on Wednesday was not one of the biggest TV audiences of the entire year. It should continue to feature in our Top 20 of the year as the months pass by, even if we'll never know its final figures.

An excellent start to 2010 for BBC1 anyway - when did BBC1 last reach audiences >10m on 5 nights out of 7?

- Thursday, 11m for midnight fireworks
- Friday 10m for EE1, 12m for EE2, 10.5m+ for DW
- Monday 11m for EE
- Tuesday 11m for EE
- Wednesday 10m for regional news

And possibly 7 nights out of 9 with EE tonight and tomorrow.


Most people who complain about the snow do so because they can't get to work or the shops.

GeorgeS gripes about it because BBC1 gets big ratings...


Not that impressive - it's down on 2008 which won 8m+ and that didn't even get a lift from freak weather. It's had no competition from BBC1 for 2 of its 3 nights either.

I expect ITV expected more. Looks like the excellent 6.5m for Hustle on Monday, well up on what it was getting 2 seasons ago when it looked like it was on its arse, put paid to big numbers for Above Suspicion.


I've long called for the return of a bit of 'variety' on BBC1 on Saturday nights.

Though this is not quite what I meant, BSI...


FNWJR has only really mushroomed to 40 weeks in the last few years, not that long since it ran August to Christmas, and that was it. I've no doubt the promotion of Graham Norton to BBC1 on Mondays was a trial run to take over if Ross didn't stay, and after a successful run, he could easily fill that slot for half the year, 2x13 weeks - possibly more.

We'll probably see more of the likes of Comedy Connections and Live from the Apollo will probably return to its old slot too. Perhaps Jim Davidson could make a shock return to the Friday night slot where his stand up shows always pulled in embarrassingly large (for PC BBC bosses) audiences?

Also, what about considering promotions for Buzzcocks or Mock the Week to the 10.35 slot? I'm sure both could get the required 3m minimum that would be considered necessary.

It's a shame that the BBC will lose a key talent like Jonathan Ross, but it's not likely to have a devastating effect in ratings terms - it could work out well too if he does get snapped up by ITV and suffers the curse that strikes most BBC stars who have ever made the switch.

I am not sure what NBC will do with all the slots left vacant by moving Leno, sure they can do that next Fall, but this fall, do they have enough to fill the vacant slots?

Well, the 8m you've quoted is an official rating. Maybe it'd be better if you compare it like for like? For a bit of fairness, you know. The first series averaged 7m in the overnights, this series is 0.3m and 3 share points down.

You have a point about the weather situation, but the competition was harder from the start. Hustle is tougher than that Swarm documentary it faced last year. Also most dramas tend to dip in their second series, so all things considered I think it's an impressive set of ratings for the show.

They're still "big numbers" for a drama. How many other dramas are gonna get ~7m or more this year? Maybe 5 max (Doctor Who/Jonathan Creek/New Tricks...).

More drama from the US today:

Our Little Genius, a new gameshow from Mark Burnett (Survivor, The Apprentice, Are You Smarter...) has been shelved just 7 days before it was due to premiere after American Idol. Mark Burnett says:


It had been scheduled for 45 minutes from 9.15pm on Wednesday 13th following a 75 minute episode of American Idol. Idol will now be 90 minutes and followed by the 450th episode of The Simpsons at 9.30pm.

It hugely screws things up for FOX until April 13th when Glee returns. Something will surely have to move to the 9pm slot as it's the best lead-in on TV. And I think Glee still has loads of filming to do so I'm not sure that they'll be able to bring the return date forward too much.

Possibilities:

Lie To Me - more episodes ordered but FOX didn't give a slot for it in their midseason schedule presentation last month. But will the episodes be ready in time?

Human Target - was originally going to air at 9pm on Wednesday with Idol lead-in but FOX flipped them. They could now give it an Idol lead on Tuesdays but (for the time being) this would leave Wednesdays at 8pm empty.

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/01/07...t-return/38003

Bet they wish they'd held onto Southland now.

No surprise really. I was thinking today if they could get agreement from the affiliates that perhaps trialling a national bulletin at 10pm wouldn't be a bad idea, with the local news at 10.30pm and then Jay Leno at 11pm, picking up viewers from other networks as they switch to local news content.



A lot of the time Norton's shows have overlapped with his chat show anyway, and filming that on a Thursday then being live on a Saturday wouldn't be an issue at all really.

Jonathan Ross has only been at 42 weeks a year or so hasn't it - I think before that it was around 30, which is probably what Norton does anyway. Filling the slot in other weeks wouldn't be too difficult with a selection of comedy programmes ready to take it, and if not, simply films.

a bit a plot hole in tonights the Bill, are we really meant to believe on one heard the baby cry, or that the ambulance sat empty for any length of time.

Easy to see where some of the budget for the stunt came from, there was more set work than usual, and not many guest cast either.

Whoops! A big blow for FOX. Lie To Me seems the obvious choice, but it may not be ready in time. Kitchen Nightmares could be drafted in from Fridays for a couple of weeks until it's ready I guess, which would also give Nightmares a nice boost for the rest of it's run on Fridays. Idol could always be extended to 2 hours too.

Idol usually does some 2 hour shows for some of the semi-finals and first live shows so there will definitely be some. That's what makes it difficult to launch a scripted show after it because they'll be on and off quite a lot depending on how long Idol is. What FOX really need is a 30 minute sitcom for that slot on a regular basis.

Kitchen Nightmares might be useful and if The Simpsons experiment works, they could do that one or two other weeks. There were a few occasions last year where Idol could have used a 90 minute show (rather than 1 hour or 2 hours).

I have a feeling NBC may cut Leno to 30 minutes.

They might just get away with that in terms of their relationship with Conan, he gets a good lead-in and is only on 30 minutes later.

As for opening up 5 primetime slots - I think that is dangerous. I don't know why the affiliates are so concerned, because his ratings are not as bad as what NBC might have to throw in that slot now.

Perhaps they are preping AGT to come back earlier? It wouldn't go at 10pm, but they could put things like the Law and Orders back to 10pm if they fill the earlier gaps. Might explain why the Hoff has suddenly decided to go? All speculation.

Alternative speculation: NBC get rid of Conan and Fallon (who is crap) altogether and go for Leno and Ross - never know.

As for Fox - that sounds like a total disaster to me. I wonder what happened to the show.

They might only cut the first two eps though, if they get the re-shoots underway quick enough they might just get away with pushing on from the third week onwards.

Edit: Just read on TMZ they are talking about 30 mins for Leno too.

You have to laugh at some of the odds offered re Jonathan Ross' successors...

Chat Show:
500/1 Jedward

Film 2010:
100/1 Russell Brand

I don't think those are worth a punt. Although... Davina's only 25/1 for the chat show...

That seems to be the leading suggestion just now. Presumably Leno has enough money now that losing 50% won't upset him too much if he gets his old 11.30 slot back.

They could keep the title (The Jay Leno Show) and let Conan keep "The Tonight Show"?


For all they complain, look at ABC with scripted content.

On Monday they had a new show, Conveyor Belt of Love with had a 2.7 versus a 1.5 for Leno. But usually they have Castle which is nearer a 2.0.

Tuesdays - ABC have The Forgotten which regularly gets beaten by Leno. This Tuesday The Forgotten had a 1.2 vs a 2.2 for Leno. On Wednesday ABC had a 1.6 for Ugly Betty, just ahead of Leno's 1.5. The only day it's hugely different is Thursdays.

Given that ABC are in a better position than NBC with their scripted content, I have no idea why anyone thinks this will improve things for NBC at 10pm.

They already have several hours to fill for next season, now they're going to be short of another 5 hours in the middle of the season?!


If they did bring back AGT they need to be dodging Idol and DWTS. The only viable slots would be Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8pm. On Wednesdays they could push back Mercy and L&O: SVU (SVU did better at 10pm anyway). Thursdays they would just have to shift the poorly performing comedy hour (moving it to 10pm might actually help as it would get a 30 Rock lead-in).

But, AFAIK, AGT hasn't actually done any filmed auditions yet. They're now a judge down and the winter olympics are finished at the end of February. They'd be lucky to have AGT ready by April (it's usual start is late June).

You really have to wonder why they dont just let Leno take it through until next season and sort it then. Of course, they may yet do that and all these rumours could be untrue.


It sounds like it may have been rigged by one of the producers who has passed answers to the contestants.

Interesting to see if they do bring it back now or if it just goes away quietly. It never sounded like a great idea!

I can see Dara being a great chatshow host, his style of comedy where he talks to a member of audience and builds a while joke around it would work with guests.

The Graham Norton Show is good and I like that it has remained untouched since its move to BBC One.

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.co...0-conan-at-12/

Certainly sounds like it will be: 11.35 Leno 12.05 Conan 1.05 Fallon

It's not a bad idea, it does a fix a lot of things in late night, but I'm not convinced it's going to have a great effect on primetime.

I think Graham Norton needs to be... 'touched'

It could do with a nice new set and titles, its all a bit bland to me. I don't understand why no UK host has tried the late night American TV show-style sets with the city backdrop. I think they work quite well.

Alan Carr has a great set, Jonathan Ross had a very distinctive one, it just got tired over time.

As for the programme content, I don't think there is much that you need to or really could do. Graham Norton does what Graham Norton does, although it is much watered down on his Channel 4 days.

I think it would make sense to hold off on that until next season. Trying it from March would just be a disaster.

As it stands NBC have a show called Persons Unknown which is unplaced in their midseason schedule as is a 30 minute sitcom starring Sophie Winkelman (yes, sister of Claudia) and Parenthood. If they don't get AGT on air in time:

Monday:
8pm - Chuck
9pm - Parenthood
10pm - 100 Questions/ SNL Update

Tuesday:
8pm - The Biggest Loser
10pm - Law and Order (moves from Fridays @ 8pm)

Wednesday:
8pm - Mercy
9pm - Persons Unknown
10pm - Law and Order: SVU (moves from 9pm)

Thursday:
8pm - Community & Parks and Recreation
9pm - The Office & 30 Rock
10pm - Mixed*

Friday:
8pm - Chuck (repeat)
9pm - Parenthood (repeat)
10pm - Dateline NBC

* A few episodes of Trauma are still unplaced as is Day One.

But that's still leaving gaps, particularly Friday. I'm guessing they could get the SNL update show going within a few weeks.

However, with the exception of Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the 10pm slot won't be much stronger. And Wednesdays strengthening at 10pm is at the expense of 9pm.

Soaps were good tonight - but who is going to get the best ratings. I imagine something like -

Emmerdale 8.9m
Coronation Street 11.1m
Eastenders 11.8m

It is NOT a single show no matter how much you pretend that it is. The purpose of ratings is to determine what audiences individual shows get. Only a BBC exec sitting in a corporate office would have such a crazy idea

Its typical of the BBC fanboys to treat regional news with disdain when it pleases them (dropping it completely for days on end when something more interesting comes along like some Scottish tennis players game) and now parrot on about how it is the greatest asset the BBC has.

ITV dont want him on an exclusive basis. It seems clear he will present on most channels on a non exclusive basis from time to time. But he couldnt deliver in primetime for the BBC (witness the Dads Army tribute show fiasco) and ITV arent spending on non-prime. Maybe he can do Live From Studio Five

Jack Docherty did, and a lot of use that was. Although there were many other faults with Docherty, most obviously that a daily chat show was pointless in the early days of Channel Five as nobody ever wanted to go on it.

When Ross began he usually ran from October to December and March to June, and initially it did very badly, the first series was up against Graham Norton and Norton beat him every week. But they stuck with it. The autumn run was extended to start in September and then in 2008 they filled the gap and had him on in January and February as well, making it run virtually non-stop from September to July.

I thought the idea of a nightly chat show was then when a celeb comes to the UK then they can pop in. So with FN with JR, the celebs have to be there on Wednesday for recording, but some celebs might just come to the UK on Monday and Tuesday or Friday/Saturday etc...

One half hour show every night on the BBC shouldn't hurt. With JR I've always thought they could add in the weekday National Lottery Draws and Film 2009 into the chat shows.

*bump*

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