Conan O' Brien signs a new deal to host a late night show on TBS

[Shortline Bus 1,121]

Conan O'Brien to return to late night TV; agrees deal with TBS, but won't compete with Jay Leno

By Richard Huff

NY DAILY NEWS TV EDITOR

 

Monday, April 12th 2010,

 

Conan O'Brien is heading to TBS, where he'll launch a late-night show in November.

 

O'Brien's decision to go to TBS ends a long dance with the Fox Network, which had been in extensive negotiations with the late-night funnyman.

 

Once the new show gets off the ground, O'Brien will be paired with George Lopez's late-night effort, which currently airs in the 11 p.m. slot, but will move to midnight when O'Brien's show gets off the ground.

 

The network began talking with O'Brien last week, after Lopez called him to come aboard, according to the announcement.

 

"I can't think of anything better than doing my show with Conan as my lead-in," Lopez said in a statement. "It's the beginning of a new era in late-night comedy."

 

Said O'Brien in a statement: "In three months I've gone from network television to Twitter to performing live in theaters, and now I'm headed to basic cable. My plan is working perfectly."

 

The TBS deal is yet another chapter in a wacky world of late-night TV that began last spring when NBC replaced Jay Leno on the "Tonight Show" with O'Brien.

Leno was then given a 10 p.m. show on weeknights.

 

However, earlier this year, when each show struggled in the Nielsen department, NBC officials wanted to move Leno to 11:35 p.m., followed by O'Brien at 12:05 a.m.

 

O'Brien balked and decided to walk, taking with him a $45 million payout for himself and his staff.

 

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/04/12/2010-04-12_conan_obrien_to_return_to_late_night_tv_agrees_deal_with_tbs_but_wont_compete_wi.html#ixzz0kzNE9L2c

[LRG 217]

Hmmm...I'll watch his show for sure, yes, but I'll put his show to the wayside of my DVR, and watch NBC first, and have Conan's show DVR'ed, and watch it in the morning.

[Shortline Bus 1,121]

Hmmm...I'll watch his show for sure, yes, but I'll put his show to the wayside of my DVR, and watch NBC first, and have Conan's show DVR'ed, and watch it in the morning.

 

According to unconfirmed reports i heard, Conan and Fox TV deal did not go through for following results.

 

1)Rupert Murdock(CEO of FOX)did not want to give Letterman total control to O" Brien in the 11pm-Midnight time slot fearing another 'flop' of Joan Rivers years ago.

 

2)Some Fox afflaites fearful of taking off reruns of recent hit shows from the "Office" to "Seinfeld" and even the "Simpsons."

[Princelex 288]

Interesting how this will work. I'm sure he'll have an audience but will it be the same numbers that he had when Conan did The Tonight Show or not? I will probably not be watching but I will be interested to see how he really does against Leno and Letterman.

[Shortline Bus 1,121]

Interesting how this will work. I'm sure he'll have an audience but will it be the same numbers that he had when Conan did The Tonight Show or not? I will probably not be watching but I will be interested to see how he really does against Leno and Letterman.

 

I am surprised Conan ended up at TBS. If it was not Fox, I thought Comedy Central would be the alternative choice.

[nel070 0]

That's a surprise i thought Fox was a lock. TBS is becoming very serious about late night, what are they going to do with George Lopez?

[error46146 1,007]

Conan O'Brien to return to late night TV; agrees deal with TBS, but won't compete with Jay Leno

By Richard Huff

NY DAILY NEWS TV EDITOR

 

Monday, April 12th 2010,

 

Conan O'Brien is heading to TBS, where he'll launch a late-night show in November.

 

O'Brien's decision to go to TBS ends a long dance with the Fox Network, which had been in extensive negotiations with the late-night funnyman.

 

Once the new show gets off the ground, O'Brien will be paired with George Lopez's late-night effort, which currently airs in the 11 p.m. slot, but will move to midnight when O'Brien's show gets off the ground.

 

The network began talking with O'Brien last week, after Lopez called him to come aboard, according to the announcement.

 

"I can't think of anything better than doing my show with Conan as my lead-in," Lopez said in a statement. "It's the beginning of a new era in late-night comedy."

 

Said O'Brien in a statement: "In three months I've gone from network television to Twitter to performing live in theaters, and now I'm headed to basic cable. My plan is working perfectly."

 

The TBS deal is yet another chapter in a wacky world of late-night TV that began last spring when NBC replaced Jay Leno on the "Tonight Show" with O'Brien.

Leno was then given a 10 p.m. show on weeknights.

 

However, earlier this year, when each show struggled in the Nielsen department, NBC officials wanted to move Leno to 11:35 p.m., followed by O'Brien at 12:05 a.m.

 

O'Brien balked and decided to walk, taking with him a $45 million payout for himself and his staff.

 

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/04/12/2010-04-12_conan_obrien_to_return_to_late_night_tv_agrees_deal_with_tbs_but_wont_compete_wi.html#ixzz0kzNE9L2c

didnt NBC pay coco so then he wouldn't go to Fox?

[Nova RTS 9147 79]

I am surprised Conan ended up at TBS. If it was not Fox, I thought Comedy Central would be the alternative choice.

 

I love Conan, but there's no way in hell Comedy Central will get rid of the Stewart/Colbert political hour.

 

Great (and ) move for ( though.

[Shortline Bus 1,121]

That's a surprise i thought Fox was a lock. TBS is becoming very serious about late night, what are they going to do with George Lopez?

 

I could be wrong but i think i read in that Daily News article and other places that O' Brien will be on at 11pm and "George Lopez Live" will be on at Midnight.

Also very important is Conan new TBS show will be based in LA.

 

Here news clip from NBC News Nightly News w/ Brian Williams.

http://tv.msn.com/the-wrap/tbs-out-foxed-fox/story/?gt1=28103

[Shortline Bus 1,121]

I love Conan, but there's no way in hell Comedy Central will get rid of the Stewart/Colbert political hour.

 

Great (and ) move for ( though.

 

 

Agreed. TBS has come a long way from it's days 25 years ago showing "Andy Griffth" Show, reruns of "Gone with the Wind" a zillion times and Atlanta Braves Baseball as an Atlanta Superstation seen nationwide cable founded by Ted Turner till this move as a Time Warner owned station.

 

Off topic but related. Since Ted Turner no longer owns TBS or TNT should TBS now be just be renamed and be called Time Warner 1=TBS and Time Warner 2=TNT?

[nel070 0]

Agreed. TBS has come a long way from it's days 25 years ago showing "Andy Griffth" Show, reruns of "Gone with the Wind" a zillion times and Atlanta Braves Baseball as an Atlanta Superstation seen nationwide cable founded by Ted Turner till this move as a Time Warner owned station.

 

Off topic but related. Since Ted Turner no longer owns TBS or TNT should TBS now be just be renamed and be called Time Warner 1=TBS and Time Warner 2=TNT?

 

Nope Time Warner doesnt want anyone to know they own these cable networks and most of the public still thinks Ted Turner owns those networks.If the public knew they owned these networks they would be exposed for the cable monopoly they are with them being a provider and programmer.

[Grand Concourse 2,690]

Then again, it's not like it really matters though. Universal-NBC owns a bunch of networks and you'll know it because of same shows being aired on different networks especially if it is a series premier.

Anyway as for TW 1 and TW 2 - not really that simple as TBS for some part is more for commedy and TNT for drama. A generic name for each would be more confusing.

[Shortline Bus 1,121]

Back to topic. This is somehow a gamble for Conan as although TBS which is after ESPN, CNN and MTV is the most available basic Cable TV station in America is only accessible to about 90-plus% of the country. Whereby's Fox is on and available to 98% of America.

 

The advantage of basic cable is that now O Brien and his crew can do 'adult skits' that is off limits on free television. We shall see.

[Princelex 288]

I am surprised Conan ended up at TBS. If it was not Fox, I thought Comedy Central would be the alternative choice.

 

I was surprised too. TBS was the furthest from my mind. As it is, I don't watch George Lopez's show (unless I'm at my uncle and aunts house) because I forget about TBS. It'll be interesting how much different the humor will be since he'll be going to basic cable, if it will be any different at all.

[Princelex 288]

I could be wrong but i think i read in that Daily News article and other places that O' Brien will be on at 11pm and "George Lopez Live" will be on at Midnight.

 

 

You're right. Ironic that he's doing to George what Leno would have done to Conan if he stayed at NBC. To be fair, George wanted Conan to come to TBS and played a part in getting him there. Plus he was willing to have his show be moved back one hour just so Conan could come to TBS.

[Shortline Bus 1,121]

didnt NBC pay coco so then he wouldn't go to Fox?

 

You probably talking about the 'non compete' clause of the buyout where he could not work for anyone else. That was for only 6 months and ends in Sept of this year at start of the 2010/11 tv season.

[Shortline Bus 1,121]

And yes just found tonight as more details of the new Conan on TBS deal comes out is that O' Brien will have 'full and total control' of his new 11pm show starting in the fall just like Letterman. "Coco' and his people will also as part of the contract also get as much as 5% of all commerical revunes on his show and being executive producer in addition to a reported $10-20 Million a year contract.

 

TBS/Time Warner have also done the same with George Lopez's show being shifted to midnight ie total control as well and extended Lopez's contract as well.

 

So looks like TBS is now challenging CBS and NBC in the late night talk show battles.

[Grand Concourse 2,690]

But it's not going to matter much though. TBS is still a cable show and not like a regular network like the big '4' + CW. So unless the rest of the country [80-90%] has cable, Conan won't make much of a dent on Leno or Letterman's ratings.

 

But I am glad he'll have full control though.