BU Now » Jay Leno

NBC banking on Leno

Dick Taffe — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:23:43 +0000

In the run-up to NBC launching “The Jay Leno Show” 5-nights a week in prime time come September, the network is flooding the advertising marketplace — TV, movie theaters, billboards, on airplanes, in gyms, elevators, even taxi cabs — with promotions for the show. College of Communication advertising Professor Sue Parenio can discuss the unprecedented nature of promoting such a first-of-its-kind production.

Contact Sue Parenio, 617-353-8066, suepar@bu.edu

Jay hands “Tonight” to Conan

Dick Taffe — Thu, 28 May 2009 14:11:29 +0000

As host Jay Leno hands over NBC’s “Tonight Show” to Conan O’Brien, late night television continues to evolve. College of Communication Professor Cathy Perron, who heads the school’s TV department, can discuss the ever changing nature of television programming.

Contact Cathy Perron, 617-353-4976, cperron@bu.edu

NBC vs. WHDH-TV on Leno

Dick Taffe — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:25:04 +0000

Mass Communication and Public Relations Professor Christopher Cakebread says NBC is upset about Boston station WHDH-TV deciding not to carry the new Jay Leno show at 10 p.m., in lieu of local news, because the network fears the move may spread.

“NBC’s greatest concern is the domino effect that might occur if WHDH replaces Leno at 10 p.m. with a local news program. If the seventh largest market in the country can make this change, in order to provide a better local revenue stream, what’s to stop other affiliates across the U.S. from doing the same thing?

“This will completely torpedo NBC’s plan to abandon expensive scripted programming, during primetime, five days a week, so they can save production dollars by running a less-expensive-to-produce talk show. The stakes are very high, so NBC will go all out to convince WHDH to not make this change.”

Contact Christopher Cakebread, 617-353-3476, ccakebre@bu.edu