Leno Stays At NBC w/ 10pm Nightly Slot

The NBC camp has confirmed that Jay Leno will be staying with the network after Conan O’ Brien takes over the 11:35 pm slot.  Leno will be moving up to 10 pm and doing his hourly talk show every day.  That means that NBC is doing away with regular programming for 10 pm which they have been doing for quite some time anyways.  10 pm is generally regarded as being a time for hour long drama’s on most networks, but ER is going off the air midseason, and shows like Lipstick Jungle and My Own Worst Enemy have been cancelled. 

Production teams at NBC should be shaking in their boots as with this advertising and economic climate NO show is safe.  Heroes, 30 Rock, and Chuck are all in danger of being axed if ratings don’t pick up and the only show that is even coming close to performing on the network is The Office.  It will be interesting to see if this Leno change will payoff in the long run.  I think talk show fatigue will be a major problem for the network with Leno, Conan, Fallon, and Carson all having shows back to back with only a brief interruption for local news.  This will surely give other networks like ABC and CBS the edge to pick up 10 pm shows to sway away viewers when Leno has a boring guest as well.