Comments on: CBS Launches "PROJECT L.E.N.O."

By: Mumbo

Mumbo — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 05:39:21 +0000

God it’s almost like they’re afraid of Leno on at 10pm or something. CBS is trying to come off smart, but…eh. NBC was rarely ever competitive at 10 to begin with, I don’t know why CBS is so excited about this.

Leno will do fine (by the standards set out for him that is).

By: emgroc

emgroc — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 03:10:28 +0000

I will watch Leno, at least a few nights a week.

By: huddy80

huddy80 — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:13:24 +0000

@craigward no Keith Olbermann is a left-wing windbag.

By: Adam

Adam — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:02:10 +0000

NBC is doomed, and I’m glad to see the other networks have fun with it.

By: squiggleslash

squiggleslash — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:57:23 +0000

If Leno at 10 is a success then it’s hardly bad news, it just means there’ll be some head-scratching at the networks and they’ll consider addressing demand for talk shows in general, putting them at times currently not used for the format.

I suspect the big loser in the equation would be reality shows. Like talk shows, they’re “cheap”, and populist, but very few people actively likes them. Networks show them for audiences not because they’re overly enthusiastic about the format.

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:09:57 +0000

Here’s the thing with Leno its the only show on NBC (and every other network for that matter) that can’t under perform, the bar is set so obscenely low that I just don’t see anyway that its numbers don’t get a generally positive tone after it debuts. So next season people will continue to talk about Heroes sinking ratings, another failed sitcom (because at least one of them will fail), new dramas sinking and NBC in general dying a slow painful death but I honestly believe that in context of what people are expecting the general buzz about Leno will be relatively positive.

In all honesty its unlikely that NBC will ever beat CBS at 10 with Leno, at least not original first run episodes on CBS but given how ABC’s line-up has worked out this year I think there’s every chance that NBC will beat ABC at least a couple of nights of the week at 10. Its also unlikely that in the context of prime time ratings as we know it now Leno is a success but that doesn’t really matter, since its ultimately a game of expectations with Leno – a high-1 or low-2 (which I think he’ll do) will be a success for him and NBC in general.

More to the point NBC should be sending endless thanks the way of CBS right now because not only are CBS giving them free promotion for Leno they’re also helping to lower expectations on what he’ll achieve in prime time.

By: greennogo

greennogo — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 06:03:00 +0000

Unfortunately, I fear that if NBC can manage to institute an effective variety format for their Leno show, (not that I really believe they’ll pull it off five nights a week) the show might discover a healthy audience for a retro-ish Lawrence Welk-y redux. Frankly, I hate cheering for CBS–insert your generic procedural here-shows to win.

By: craigward

craigward — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:45:25 +0000

Are there people who boycott all NBCU networks because of Keith Olbermann? I’ve barely heard of him. Is he a right-wing windbag like O’Reilly?

By: Christopher

Christopher — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:53:26 +0000

thank you CBS and Abc for 10pm i think the Mentlist, CIS Miami, will crush them at 10pm

By: Holly

Holly — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:50:32 +0000

Alex, I guess that depends on how you define success. Not even NBC thinks that Leno will do well in the ratings. (Silverman…or was it Zucker?… said that a 1.8 would be fantastic for Leno.) DVR and online viewing will be minimal. (Of course, significant back-end income from syndication and DVDs is out of the question.)

Leno will be a success in that it keeps him from jumping to ABC and killing Conan’s ratings even more. And it will probably be a success in that it will have good profit margins for original-run airings. Most of the press will probably use the numbers for how many people watched at least 6 minutes rather than the averages that we usually see.

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:24:42 +0000

I really don’t understand the idea that NBC is doomed *because* of Leno, if anything I suspect Leno will be one of the more succesful shows on the NBC line-up next season.

By: HeroesforGhosts

HeroesforGhosts — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:18:02 +0000

R.G, How will firing Olbermann help NBC’s ratings? He’s on MSNBC. That’s like saying that if Foxnews fires Bill O’Reily, then Fox’s ratings will go up.

By: squiggleslash

squiggleslash — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:09:52 +0000

I have a wierd gut feeling that Leno at 10 will probably be a success. The primary reason I don’t watch talk shows is that they’re on too late. NBC seems to be talking down expectations, and there’s an assumption that Leno is overrated and that this means the show will be a failure, but he may well still be “good enough” to get it working.

Talk shows are very easy for viewers to just switch on and let run. The real mystery is why more tame versions of the same shows aren’t run earlier. It’s fairly common outside of the US.

By: R.J.

R.J. — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:31:04 +0000

OMG! That is so funny!

By: R.G.

R.G. — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:17:35 +0000

I will avoid LENO’s show overall – NBC is doomed – unless they go all sports and News coverage…

………and for crying out loud: fire Olbermann – and it WILL improve NBC’s (and its affiliates) ratings!

If NBC can’t fire him then get Donald Trump to do it – he already works for your network…and dearest NBC; if do this, then have it done on a Special of the “Apprentice” and I WILL watch it!

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:18:34 +0000

I don’t know if CBS is expecting to get a bump because of the lack of NBC drama at 10 or if they’re simply using the launch of Leno at 10 to promote their 10PM dramas. Remember they’re moving The Mentalist to 10 next season so they’re going to want to get as many eyeballs and focus on the 10PM slot as they can and the Leno cheap shots are a relatively easy and comparatively cheap way to do it.

Its also worth pointing out that given ABC’s current track record CBS is pretty much completely competition free at 10 during except for maybe Thursday nights.

By: nkinsey

nkinsey — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:37:17 +0000

Sigh. Based on NBC’s mediocre performance at 10p for their dramas, how much are CBS & ABC thinking they’ll increase? I don’t think the bump will be that significant.

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:13:59 +0000

If NBC don’t respond to this with some kind of, for a network that isn’t worried about Leno at 10 they’re doing a lot to counter programme him they’re stupid. Not that, that’s exactly what CBS is doing or why they’re doing it but they may as well counter with some cheap shots of their own.

By: Shem

Shem — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:47:57 +0000

Ok. what about last night’s numbers?

By: Shem

Shem — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:47:28 +0000

OOOO ok. i see. now i get it.

By: romo

romo — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:44:44 +0000

As long as tim gunn isnt on it im ok.

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:42:08 +0000

Shem, I think the focus on the network 10pm hour (in the East) is intended to boost viewership leading into the local 11pm news hour (in the East). (modify those hours to fit your time zone).

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:42:02 +0000

yeah but they are saying they want to increase viewership of the 10PM shows to boost news at 11. Because Leno Show is at 10, they feel they have better opportunity to take advantage of lost viewers

By: Shem

Shem — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:38:14 +0000

Don’t CBS stations air at local news @ 11pm E/T ? Only if its targeted for Central time.