NBC Misses the Boat

Television is indeed cyclical. Although invented in the late 1920’s, TV was not commercially viable until the early 1950’s, due primarily to the cost of owning a TV, which came down dramatically in the post-war economic boom. Increased viewership demanded an increase in content. The movie studios were uniformly opposed to allowing their productions on the new medium for several reasons the least of which was the fact that television was taking the place of attendance at movie theatres most of which were owned by the studios

To fill the void in the increased demand for programming, radio served as a natural progression. Shows had been running on radio for several years with accomplished and recognized performers, and entertainers, a considerable following, and more importantly sponsors, who also served as producers of the programming. Most notable of these programs were the daytime dramas, or serials, or Soap Operas, due to their association with their sponsors, the detergent companies, such as Proctor & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, and Lever Brothers among others, which manufactured a variety of household products aimed specifically at housewives, who were home during the day.

It didn’t take long for other programs to move to television, and begin filling the schedule. Not all serial programming was during the daytime. Comedies, mysteries and westerns were often broadcast on radio during the evening hours, as were the variety shows. Texaco Star Theatre, The Jack Benny Program, Dinah Shore and Friends, Kraft Music Hour, Colgate Comedy Hour, Your Show of Shows, Uncle Milty, Perry Como, Keenan Wynn, Ernie Kovacs and Jackie Gleason were among entertainers making the transition from Radio to television.

Known as The Golden Age of Television, the 1950’s presented every possible type of program. Game shows, Westerns, situation comedies, mysteries, suspense, science fiction, news, daytime talk, medical Dramas,news-magazines, and late night talk. All of which still have a presence on today’s TV schedules, with the addition of several other genres, most notable being sports, animated shows, reality shows, police, crime and investigative dramas.

It appears success invites imitation. Once a particular type of show becomes successful, it seems to multiply repeatedly on every other network. Every 7 years or so, something new, or re-created catches on, as other ideas fade out. The rural comedies of the mid-late 1960’s for example. Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, Beverly Hillbillies. Military comedies, McHale’s Navy, F-Troop, Hogan’s Heroes, Gomer Pyle. Daytime and Primetime game shows. The Dating Game, Newlywed Game, Match Game. Private Eye comedies. Rockford Files, Magnum PI, Get Smart,as just a few examples.

Accordingly, it would appear that he 80’s began The Daytime Talk Show trend which has yet abated. Phil Donahue, Sally Jesse Raphael, David Letterman, Oprah Winfrey, Rikki Lake, Montel, Jerry Springer and just about everyone who asked to get a show, seemed to land one.

The 90’s was partially defined by Sitcom’s featuring Stand-Up comics. Home Improvement, Roseanne, Brett Butler, Seinfeld among others, was accompanied by the daytime show The People’s Court, which multiplied like a nest of rabbits, spawning clones still populating the airways today, which is basically the beginning of reality programming. which dominates the prime time airwaves today, for better or worse.

In the early days of television, programming seemed to be done intelligently, with a structure, and a plan, that could be relied upon by the viewing public.

Seasons began in September with new shows, and ran through 38-39 weeks, until June, virtually following the public school schedule. Programs that were renewed for the following season, were spelled by a summer replacement. Most summer replacements were just that, and never seen again, as they sometimes were pilots for shows that never aired, but they often were springboards for fledgling actors.

Over the decades, with little exception, the most successful format for a summer replacement was the Variety Show. Some developed such a following, that they In fact were brought back for more than one summer, or given a time slot on the regular weekly schedule. Examples include, Sonny and Cher, The Starland Vocal Band, The Smothers Brothers, Glen Cambell, Carol Burnet, The Gold Diggers, even The Jackson Family, to name just a few.

In fact, some of the most watched, most memorable, longest running shows were of the variety show format. In addition to the shows listed above, The Ed Sullivan Show which began as Toast of the Town, dominated Sunday Nights. Other celebrities who hosted very successful Variety Shows were Dean Martin, Red Skelton, Andy Williams, Rowan and Martin, Perry Como, and Pat Boone

Throughout television’s relatively brief history, interwoven in the programming, is the venerable late night talk show. Beginning in1954, and hosted by Steve Allen, “Tonight!” was the genesis of this format. In 1957 “The Jack Paar Tonight Show” occupied that spot on NBC’s lineup until “The Tonight Show ” starring Johnny Carson would debut in 1962. Running for 30 years, “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” replaced the retiring Johnny Carson.

Throughout the shows tenure, NBC never had to fret over ratings, as various networks, and a grocery list of hosts tried to emulate any level of the success enjoyed by “The Tonight Show” It seemed to be a winning formula regardless of who was hosting, guesting, or filling in.

Each change of host, brought a new personality a new style, some new segments, a new sidekick for the host, a new announcer, and a new “Tonight Show Band”. After Leno’s stint, he in turn would be replaced by former staff writer, and Late Night host Conan O’Brien. This was announced on the night of the shows 50th Anniversary, 5 years before it was to take place. Apparently, Jay Leno was getting an hour of prime time at 10pm weeknights as compensation for moving aside so the network would not lose Conan, as it did David Letterman, now with CBS, who is in a constant ratings battle at 11:30 with NBC.

This was exciting news. What new and exciting production was Jay Leno going to bring to an hour of prime time weeknight programming, at 10pm, coveted television real estate, occupied by **** Wolf’s popular Crime-Drama franchise, Law and Order? What indeed! Nothing Absolutely nothing new, exciting, or even interesting. It was “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” 90 minutes earlier.

It is HERE. RIGHT HERE that NBC missed the Boat.

In the process of making the program change with Leno at 10pm and Conan at 11:30, angry viewers tuned out the network in droves, who in turn took sponsors with them, followed closely by local network affiliate stations who dropped Leno in favor of syndicated re-runs, even an extra hour of news. It was a terrible gamble.

Assumed by nearly everyone on the planet (except the programming executives at NBC) Leno in Prime Time would have something creative, imaginative, entertaining new, or at least watchable. This is where I question the existence of market research and analysis. Had any been done, this fiasco could have been avoided.

With such a rich history of successes, why wasn’t the Jay Leno Show a Variety Show? Comedy, music, sketches. Several celebrities from different entertainment backgrounds. Forget the shameful self promotion, book and movie hawking. Leno is talented enough to succeed in the under-used genre. NBC would have been MUCH better off borrowing from their own “Saturday Night Live” formula.

What followed was a public relations nightmare of epic proportions. Instead of simply stopping in midstream and making an attempt to find out what people would like to see, and quite possibly re-tooling the Leno show, they take it out on O’Brien, by asking him to start his show 30 minutes later, to accommodate Jay Leno at 11:35

“The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” wasn’t the problem. it was the content of the Leno show in Prime Time.

Lack of market research and analysis, along with creativity cost NBC $57 million to make Conan go away, and untold millions in lost revenue, and goodwill. Jay has not been able to pull the ratings he was getting prior to his move to Prime Time, or even the ratings Conan was getting at 11:30. His career may have just peaked. Who will be his successor now?

Considering the options on TV at 11:30, NBC, once Proud as a Peacock, in a period of several weeks, wrecked one of the most esteemed, respected, enduring television franchises in the history of the medium, it took nearly sixty years to build.

If Steve Allen, Jack Paar, and Johnny Carson were alive today, they would be rolling over in their graves seeing what NBC has done to The Tonight Show. The Successful TV Programming Boat has just been launched, and NBC is not on board.

By: Tony Kudalis

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