Wow! Whoever had TBS in the Conan O'Brien pool just scored a handsome reward.
After months of speculation, Conan O'Brien kicks off his nationwide comedy tour with a massive announcement. Starting this November, TBS is the home of Conan O'Brien. George Lopez, who has been hosting a late night program for the cable net will move to midnight to make room for the redheaded one, who will go on the air at 11 PM weeknights.
What does this mean?
First, O'Brien, like most unemployed Americans, faced a rough environment to be job searching. ABC is committed to Jimmy Kimmel and the resurgent Nightline (which often beats Leno and Letterman).
CBS has Craig Ferguson (who often beats NBC's Jimmy Fallon), and Letterman, who might be closing in on retirement age, seems re-energized after the renewed battle with Leno, and, given his marital problems, might not want to retire and be stuck around the house.
FOX always seemed the most likely landing spot for O'Brien, but it never made sense for FOX's affiliates. They make lots of money airing repeats of The Simpsons and The Office, and have long term contracts to do so. Ten years ago, O'Brien would have been on FOX, but it's a new world, and the late night money is in syndication for FOX.
Second, it is yet another reminder that network TV is not what it used to be. Conan O'Brien realizes you are on TV whether you are on cable or a big network. To many generations of TV watchers, TBS, NBC, Food Network, Spike, Comedy Central and more are all the same as you flip through on the remote control or set the DVR to record. Why not take the TBS deal and be a TV superstar if you deliver the same ratings you did on NBC? Heck, if Anderson Cooper can be a superstar on cable with his pitiful ratings, O'Brien will look like a God!
On top of that, many people don't watch programs as they air on TV. More and more viewers catch it on the Internet, and O'Brien is very popular with this group of people. It won't matter if he is on TBS or the NASA Channel.
I have to admit, I used to giggle when TBS came on with their spots promoting them as the place for laughs, but you can't laugh at them any more. With Lopez, O'Brien, re-runs of The Office and Seinfeld, TBS is funny (in a good way).
What does this mean?
First, O'Brien, like most unemployed Americans, faced a rough environment to be job searching. ABC is committed to Jimmy Kimmel and the resurgent Nightline (which often beats Leno and Letterman).
CBS has Craig Ferguson (who often beats NBC's Jimmy Fallon), and Letterman, who might be closing in on retirement age, seems re-energized after the renewed battle with Leno, and, given his marital problems, might not want to retire and be stuck around the house.
FOX always seemed the most likely landing spot for O'Brien, but it never made sense for FOX's affiliates. They make lots of money airing repeats of The Simpsons and The Office, and have long term contracts to do so. Ten years ago, O'Brien would have been on FOX, but it's a new world, and the late night money is in syndication for FOX.
Second, it is yet another reminder that network TV is not what it used to be. Conan O'Brien realizes you are on TV whether you are on cable or a big network. To many generations of TV watchers, TBS, NBC, Food Network, Spike, Comedy Central and more are all the same as you flip through on the remote control or set the DVR to record. Why not take the TBS deal and be a TV superstar if you deliver the same ratings you did on NBC? Heck, if Anderson Cooper can be a superstar on cable with his pitiful ratings, O'Brien will look like a God!
On top of that, many people don't watch programs as they air on TV. More and more viewers catch it on the Internet, and O'Brien is very popular with this group of people. It won't matter if he is on TBS or the NASA Channel.
I have to admit, I used to giggle when TBS came on with their spots promoting them as the place for laughs, but you can't laugh at them any more. With Lopez, O'Brien, re-runs of The Office and Seinfeld, TBS is funny (in a good way).
