I just got around to watching Conan O'Brien's final Tonight Show. He handled it with the expected comedy and unmistakable class. He rose above the wallowing words of the past few weeks.
When the show ended, I was reminded of the 1976 Republican Convention. Gerald Ford was just nominated after a bruising convention that split the party. In his acceptance speech he recognized the man he defeated, Ronald Reagan. Reagan stood-up, waved to an adoring crowd as Ford watched from the podium. Ford then said "Ronnie, why don't you come down and say a few words."
Reagan, a master of timing, accepted the offer that Ford probably didn't think he would. Reagan joined Ford on stage and commenced to eloquently state the case for the conservative movement and then signed-off with class. The delegates were floored. It is said one of the party elders said "oh god, we just nominated the wrong guy."
Watching Conan's final show and knowing Jay Leno begins a reputation rehab tour on Oprah, I cannot help but think some NBC honcho is saying "oh god, we fired the wrong guy."
The GM
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Worst of all Scenarios
Big news from this weekend and confirmed today is that NBC has conceded that it made a mistake with Leno at 10pm (9pm central). Shocking!
So NBC has decided to move Leno back to his 11:30p slot and give him a half-hour show. To mollify Conan O'Brien he gets a half-hour at midnight but gets the honor of keeping the Tonight Show name. Jimmy Fallon is just happy to be there.
This won't work and here's why. First, you cannot recreate the earlier success just like you cannot go home again. Moving Leno out of the Tonight Show was a move that never should have happened. Moving him back does not automatically mean his viewers will return. More importantly it doesn't mean Conan's viewers will stay. In fact, Conan's viewers are ticked. Shoot, Conan's ticked.
The best move for NBC is to keep Conan and Fallon where they are and let Jay go. Right now they've got at least two, if not three, unhappy talk show hosts. Firing Jay affects Jay but not Conan or Fallon. Plan B would be to allow Conan to search for greener pastures on another network -- like Fox where he used to write for The Simpsons. However, NBC doesn't want to compete with Conan nor have another late night competitor.
Who know how this will work out but one thing is apparent, it has not been handled well from the start. NBC has lost their late night mojo and may never get it back.
So NBC has decided to move Leno back to his 11:30p slot and give him a half-hour show. To mollify Conan O'Brien he gets a half-hour at midnight but gets the honor of keeping the Tonight Show name. Jimmy Fallon is just happy to be there.
This won't work and here's why. First, you cannot recreate the earlier success just like you cannot go home again. Moving Leno out of the Tonight Show was a move that never should have happened. Moving him back does not automatically mean his viewers will return. More importantly it doesn't mean Conan's viewers will stay. In fact, Conan's viewers are ticked. Shoot, Conan's ticked.
The best move for NBC is to keep Conan and Fallon where they are and let Jay go. Right now they've got at least two, if not three, unhappy talk show hosts. Firing Jay affects Jay but not Conan or Fallon. Plan B would be to allow Conan to search for greener pastures on another network -- like Fox where he used to write for The Simpsons. However, NBC doesn't want to compete with Conan nor have another late night competitor.
Who know how this will work out but one thing is apparent, it has not been handled well from the start. NBC has lost their late night mojo and may never get it back.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Local TV's Demise
. . . is greatly exaggerated.
Recently there has been a number of articles talking about the future of television. Some have even said free, over the air, broadcast TV's days are numbered. I beg to differ.
Just this weekend I watched some great NFL playoff games and a tremendous college basketball game in the comfort of my home, for free in HD clarity. Yes, I paid a cable provider but I could have raised an antennae and received the same games. As long as there is live sporting events and as long as a community requires news and information about their community, in their community; local broadcast television will survive.
Local television will evolve. Viewers will continue to demand news, information and entertainment when they want on the delivery vehicle they want. They also want their trusted brand to bring it to them.
Entertainment programs and non-live content events are ripe for time shifting. News and live sports are less so. This will result in the top local stations being less identified with the network affiliate or their syndicated program and more identified with the programming they produce for their community.
The next decade will be the renaissance of local broadcast television. It won't be the same. It will be better.
Recently there has been a number of articles talking about the future of television. Some have even said free, over the air, broadcast TV's days are numbered. I beg to differ.
Just this weekend I watched some great NFL playoff games and a tremendous college basketball game in the comfort of my home, for free in HD clarity. Yes, I paid a cable provider but I could have raised an antennae and received the same games. As long as there is live sporting events and as long as a community requires news and information about their community, in their community; local broadcast television will survive.
Local television will evolve. Viewers will continue to demand news, information and entertainment when they want on the delivery vehicle they want. They also want their trusted brand to bring it to them.
Entertainment programs and non-live content events are ripe for time shifting. News and live sports are less so. This will result in the top local stations being less identified with the network affiliate or their syndicated program and more identified with the programming they produce for their community.
The next decade will be the renaissance of local broadcast television. It won't be the same. It will be better.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Lost Sight of the Mission
Just read a great column by Peggy Noonan. http://online.wsj.com/article/declarations.html She nails it. The point, many of the nation's great institutions have lost sight of their core mission over the last decade.
Broadcasting is one of those who lost sight -- not so much the folks working in broadcast but more so those that own broadcast properties. Here's what happened. Investment bankers, private equity brokers and those who "manufacture" money saw large profit margins that exist in the broadcast industry. They said to themselves, "hey, we can buy this station(s), cut some costs and drive the margin higher." In short, stations became investment vehicles.
Once TV stations focused more on profit than on providing for the community they serve, the operating efficiencies came at a cost to the viewer; to the community and to the people who chose broadcasting as a profession. The numerous bankruptcies are a direct result of losing sight of the mission.
I consider myself an optimist. I'm convinced that many of the the financial types have had enough and will look to unload their properties once the economy and multiples improve. It is my contention a wave of owners who are broadcasters first; who are in the community; who will not slash costs to hit a profit number but accept the double digit profit margin that the industry is known for; these new owners will understand the mission.
This will take time. It will happen because I believe the best thing about the Great Recession is the lessons we've learned and we will take them forward for our betterment.
Broadcasting is one of those who lost sight -- not so much the folks working in broadcast but more so those that own broadcast properties. Here's what happened. Investment bankers, private equity brokers and those who "manufacture" money saw large profit margins that exist in the broadcast industry. They said to themselves, "hey, we can buy this station(s), cut some costs and drive the margin higher." In short, stations became investment vehicles.
Once TV stations focused more on profit than on providing for the community they serve, the operating efficiencies came at a cost to the viewer; to the community and to the people who chose broadcasting as a profession. The numerous bankruptcies are a direct result of losing sight of the mission.
I consider myself an optimist. I'm convinced that many of the the financial types have had enough and will look to unload their properties once the economy and multiples improve. It is my contention a wave of owners who are broadcasters first; who are in the community; who will not slash costs to hit a profit number but accept the double digit profit margin that the industry is known for; these new owners will understand the mission.
This will take time. It will happen because I believe the best thing about the Great Recession is the lessons we've learned and we will take them forward for our betterment.
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