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Zucker Takes Responsibility for Leno’s 10 p.m. Failure; Fred Silverman, a Former NBC Programming Chief, Calls In-Fighting ‘A Corporate Embarrassment’

Jan 18, 2010  •  Post A Comment

NBC Universal head Jeff Zucker said he takes responsibility for the failure of Jay Leno’s prime time program, The New York Times reports.

“At the end of the day Jay at 10 o’clock didn’t work,” Mr. Zucker told The Times, “and I take responsibility for that.”

In a lengthy front-page story, The Times said that executive missteps compounded by the economic challenges facing network television have brought NBC from the heights of success to “shambles.”

Fred Silverman, who has overseen programming at ABC, NBC and CBS during his career, told the paper: “Now they have a situation that — I’ve never seen anything like it.” He called all the sniping “a corporate embarrassment” and the plan to move Leno back to late night a “Mickey Mouse scheme.”

–Elizabeth Jensen

2 Comments

  1. While I will agree that Zucker made a huge mistake, and I am pleasantly surprised to see him take the blame, he fell short of throwing himself on the sword…I think he should step down immediately and save the network more expensive lawyering.
    Fred Silverman sticks his two cents worth in on this?
    Pu-LEASE! Fred did more damage to the Peacock thirty years ago than I care to recount, not to mention the debris and smoldering embers at ABC and CBS.
    Say “Good Night” Conan and make your move Jay, we’ll see in ninety days what’s on the horizon.
    Peter Bright

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