Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

Special to the Director's Cut Blog Gary Levin, USA TODAY It's a generational shift at an icon of late-night TV: NBC's Tonight Show has anointed only its sixth host in its 59-year history. Jimmy Fallon will take over for Jay Leno late next February, the network confirmed Wednesday, after Leno is ushered off the stage for the second time in a 22-year run. With the handoff, expected just after a promotional push during NBC's Winter Olympics, Tonight will move back to Fallon's base in New York City from Burbank, Calif., its home for more than 30 years. And the show is being placed in the hands of executive producer Lorne Michaels, who created Saturday Night Live and has shepherded projects featuring many of its stars, from 30 Rock to Fallon's current Late Night. But wee-hours talk shows have diminished in stature and ratings, amid huge shifts in television viewing.  Jay Leno (L) and Jimmy Fallon (R) Cable competitors have sprung up, and recorded shows co...

Published reports say The Tonight Show has laid off about two dozen workers and host Jay Leno has taken a large pay cut to save the jobs of other staffers. The moves are part of a restructuring to save money at NBC. NBC Universal imposed the cutbacks Friday, according to reports in The Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times. Both newspapers cited an unnamed person familiar with what happened. The layoffs and Leno's salary concessions were first reported by Deadline Hollywood, a website that tracks the entertainment industry. NBC Universal declined comment. The network has been losing money, increasing the pressure to cut expenses under corporate parent Comcast Corp. A spokesman for Leno says the late-night show host did what he thought was necessary to protect his staff. Source: The Associated Press

Jay Leno returns tonight to NBC and WKYC as the host of the "Tonight Show" at 11:35 p.m. To promote his show, Jay stopped by the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center today, or did he? I'm not really sure by these pictures.. Can you tell who the cardboard cut-out is? AJ, Producer Carrie Young or Jay himself?

LOS ANGELES -- Scott Brown is going prime time. The Republican who rocketed to national prominence by winning a U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts is scheduled to appear Thursday on "The Jay Leno Show." NBC spokeswoman Tracy St. Pierre says Brown will do a skit via satellite hookup in which Leno fires off 10 quick questions. The once little-known state legislator jolted the national political landscape last week by capturing the Senate seat once held by Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy. --- The Associated Press

UNIVERSAL CITY, California - NBC confirmed today that popular late-night host Jay Leno will return to host "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" from 11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. (ET) beginning March 1, 2010 and that "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" will continue to be broadcast from 12:35-1:35 a.m. (ET). The announcements were made by Jeff Gaspin, Chairman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment. "We're pleased that Jay is returning to host the franchise that he helmed brilliantly and successfully for many years," said Gaspin. "He is an enormous talent, a consummate professional and one of the hardest-working performers on television." Leno previously hosted "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" from May 1992-May 2009. The program will continue to showcase many of the features that made Leno America's late-night leader for more than a dozen years. "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" made its broadcast debut on March 2, 2009 with "...

Special to the Director's Cut Blog By Gary Levin Jay Leno's prime-time "experiment" may be cut short. The former Tonight Show host, who spent 15 years atop the late-night ratings race, hasn't worked out at 10 p.m. ET/PT, hurting both NBC's overall ratings and the local newscasts that follow it on the network's affiliates. Now NBC is weighing scenarios that would lead The Jay Leno Showto end its run as early as Feb. 11, on the eve of the Winter Olympics, according to network executives involved in the discussions. In statements Thursday, NBC said the Leno Show has not yet been canceled, adding that while Leno's average audience of 5.8 million viewers has met expectations, the show has "presented some issues for our affiliates," who have complained about sharp declines for late local newscasts. A meeting with stations is set for Jan. 21 in New York, in part to discuss a plan that could include shifting Leno back to late night or lett...

Special to the Director's Cut Blog By Frazier Moore, AP Television Writer NEW YORK (AP) -- Jay Leno's plugging away in prime time, but he still says he would have rather stayed put at "The Tonight Show" -- and if NBC offered him that late-night job again, he says he'd take it. In an interview with Broadcasting & Cable magazine, Leno hastily adds that such a decision isn't his to make. Conan O'Brien, his successor as "Tonight" host after 17 years, is "doing fine," says Leno. "The Jay Leno Show" began on NBC in September, airing Monday through Friday at 10 p.m. Eastern, where it has displaced prime-time scripted dramas. For that, and for his less-than-stellar ratings thus far, Leno has taken heat within the TV industry as well as from critics. But getting beat up is just part of the game, says Leno, who insists he enjoys his role "being the underdog."

Our sister publication, USA Today.com , has conducted a new web poll and found Jay Leno fans have yet to adapt to Conan's hosting of the "Tonight Show". Respondents say they are beginning to look elsewhere or not even watch after a strong start has fizzled for Conan as host of the "Tonight Show." Here's where viewers say they are going:

Jay Leno announced today that "Tonight Show" heir Conan O'Brien is scheduled to be the final guest to sit on his famed couch during Leno's last show as host of the franchise on May 29. O'Brien, who has appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" 16 times previously, will be taking over the coveted hosting duties beginning on June 1. In addition, the week leading up to Leno's finale as host of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" will feature special guests and friends of the show including: Monday, May 25: Mel Gibson will make his 21st appearance on the "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" in his first sit-down interview since the announcement of his impending divorce. Tuesday, May 26: Arnold Schwarzenegger made headlines when he made the now famous surprise announcement that he was running for governor of California during an appearance in 2003 and he will take to the couch again for his 25th appearance on the show. Wednesday, May 27: C...

Update: 12/9/08 - It's Now Official! NEW YORK -- Jay Leno is staying at NBC, and he's moving to prime time. The network announced on the "Today" show Tuesday that Leno will host a show on weeknights at 10 p.m. Eastern, after he leaves the "Tonight" show. The network had announced earlier that Conan O'Brien would move to the "Tonight" show and succeed Leno. The deal not only prevents Leno from moving to another network and competing with O'Brien, it also has the potential to be a big cost savings for NBC. Dramas at 10 p.m. Eastern used to be a mainstay of network schedules, but they have been fading -- particularly on NBC. One reason is digital video recorders; more people are watching shows they taped earlier than the live 10 p.m. shows. The deal was first reported Tuesday in The New York Times. ------ Our Original Posting from 12/8/08 Things at NBC are moving fast and we have learned another piece of the puzzle which seems to be coming tog...

NBC announced this morning that Jay Leno's last day as host of the "Tonight Show" will be on Friday, May 29th. Conan O'Brien will take over the following Monday, June 1st, for a smoothless transition according to NBC Entertainment Co-Chairs Ben Silverman and Marc Graboff. Speculation continues to have Leno going to ABC as host of a new show at 11:35 p.m. that will displace Nightline. Still, we scratch our head as to why NBC would jeopardize losing their late night leading position with a move at this time. While Conan does well, he isn't Leno. Your thoughts...post them under "comments" below.