What's the most shocking is that no one so far in managment has lost their job for this PR disaster. This played out so embarassingly public and portrayed the network, and to a lesser degree Jay Leno, as the villains in this power struggle over the Tonight Show. Look mistakes are made in television all the time. The Magic Hour, The Chevy Chase Show, and Joan Rivers (in all forms) are all missteps but no situation has been handled so poorly that it became fodder not only the competition on CBS and ABC but on it's very own network. It was compounded by the decision to give Leno a nightly 10pm show that bombed so badly that affiliates were complaining that it failed to provide a sufficient lead-in to the local nightly newscasts. The local news stations were complaining! Then the network scrambles, or should I say bumbles their way to ushering Conan out to return Leno back in on the Tonight Show. Now it will cost the network $45 million to make Conan go away. That's one hell of a costly mistake, both in dollars and image.
from tvguide.com
Conan O'Brien will receive $45 million for himself and his staff in an exit deal clearing the way for Jay Leno to return as host of The Tonight Show, NBC announced Thursday.
About one-fourth of the money ($11 million to $12 million) will be divided among O'Brien's 200-plus staffers as severance, under terms of the deal announced on NBC's Today. O'Brien's last show will be Friday, and Leno will return to Tonight, the show he hosted for 17 years, on March 1.
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