NBC Demotes Leno, and Other Media Tales

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Here's just some of what's been going on lately in the wonderful world of broadcast media.

Jay Leno Not Ready for Prime Time

It has become painfully obvious that the decision made by NBC to give Jay Leno five nights of prime time a week, as an incentive for not jumping to another network, was not a good one.  Poor ratings had a trickle-down effect from local news to the late-night shows that follow it.  So now it appears that NBC will move Leno back to late night after the Olympic Winter Games conclude, with the rest of the lineup (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon and Carson Daly) backed up half an hour.  Which leads to the following conclusions:

• NBC now needs five hours of programming at 10 p.m. Eastern (9 Central), which means putting the "Law & Order" shows back where they belong for the time being.  They already gave away the crime drama "Southland" to cable's TNT.
• Conan O'Brien has to realize that, as long as he stays at NBC, he'll always play second fiddle to Leno.  So don't be surprised if he bolts.
• Comcast, which is purchasing NBC Universal, might be taking on more than it can handle.
• Isn't David Letterman enjoying this right now?

B-96 B-Gone

Twin Cities radio station KTTB (96.3 FM) has ditched the hip hop/R&B music to focus on more contemporary hits, and is changing its name to KHTC.  Which means that, for the first time in two decades, KDWB (101.3 FM) will be getting some competition.  (Anyone remember WLOL-FM before Minnesota Public Radio bought the station and turned it into a classical outlet?)  The new 96-3 Now will differ from KDWB (which has been in the Top 40 business since today's listeners' parents were toddlers) in that it will be more Lady Gaga and less Nickelback.  Hip hop won't go away, since half of the pop charts are rap-oriented anyway.

KHTC is owned by the Pohlad family, which also owns the Minnesota Twins.  Since this could be the team's last season on KSTP (1500 AM), there's a possibility that, if WCCO doesn't pick up the radio rights, 96-3 just might.

Schmit Back at KSTP-TV

Now that his old boss Tom Petters is headed for prison, Joe Schmit is returning to his old job as sports director at KSTP-TV.  He replaces Phil Aldredge, who's moving to weekends.  This has become quite a habit for KSTP, bringing back old faces such as Cyndi Brucato and Art Baron to anchor "5 Eyewitness News".  Before Schmit went to work for Petters, some of you might remember that he was a news anchor for awhile, and he did pretty well at it.  Now if they could only bring back their old ratings.