On Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 3:37 PM, Steve Rhodes <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>  Here's an update on the negotiations
>
> http://thewrap.com/ind-column/fox-and-conan-can-marriage-be-made-13973
>

This is a pretty good article too. I am a little disappointed there doesn't
seem to be much real consideration of going to cable (basic or premium).

Two points about the excerpt I paste below:

1. Is there anyway of estimating what the average demo rating is for Fox
affiliates currently for the 11:00 hour? Would I have to look at local
ratings in every market, or does Fox somehow summarize those for all of
their affiliates somewhere? I would like to start thinking of what a
reasonable number for Coco would be - presumably higher than Seinfeld
reruns, but still significantly lower than Leno or Dave.

2. I can tell already that I am doomed to walk the streets for the next 25
years mumbling incoherently that the zucker never really expected a 1.5
rating for Leno. I will never, ever believe that. The 1.5 was a low-ball
number, always meant to be used to brag at how well Leno was overperforming
when he turned in 1.8 (averaged over first and re-run competition weeks). I
do not believe NBC was making money on the JLS with a 1.5 rating (all things
considered) and I do not believe that even the zuckers who run NBC are
stupid enough to intentionally run a program that broke even for them, and
cost their affiliates significant dollars. The explanation for the apparent
paradox of how NBC could say on the one hand that 1.5 is what they expected,
and on the other that 1.5 was killing the affiliates, is that NBC is run by
liars - they never expected a 1.5.

has anyone seen my shopping cart?...

*************

"The network also needs to figure out how to school both affiliates and the
media about what success means for Conan on Fox.

NBC did a masterful job setting a low bar for "The Jay Leno Show,"
telegraphing months ahead of time that it expected ratings for the series to
be tiny relative to scripted fare. But it said that would be OK, given the
money it would save.

What NBC never anticipated -- at least not publicly -- was how bad Jay
ratings would hurt affiliates. Or how the 10 p.m. strategy made it harder
for the network to develop much-needed new scripted hits since it had fewer
primetime at-bats.

Fox ought to be transparent about its ratings expectations, the cost of
production for the Conan show and how it plans to make a profit. That way,
if the numbers aren't so hot in the beginning, there won't be a drumbeat of
stories declaring the series a disappointment (or worse)."

-- 
TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People!
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