NBC not worried about late-night drama

By Steven Zeitchik

BOSTON (Hollywood Reporter) - Jeff Zucker isn't worried about late night.

Even as news circulates about competitors circling Jay Leno, the NBC Universal president and CEO Wednesday defended the company's decision to move Conan O'Brien into "The Tonight Show" spot in 2009, and to take only cautious and vague steps to retain Leno.

"We hope Jay will stay with us, and obviously we'll have those conversations (about another show) with him," Zucker said, speaking at the Harvard Business School's Entertainment & Media conference here.

Zucker said he was not concerned about the interest from rival networks or a syndicated play from some studios, efforts that were likely to gain traction during the coming 22 months before the handover takes place. "There's still a lot of time," Zucker said. "I'm hopeful. But time will tell."

The executive called the decision to move O'Brien into the high-profile spot one of the most difficult of his career.

Long-simmering speculation about Leno's post-NBC plans heated up again on Wednesday with a New York Times report that ABC and Fox have made discreet overtures, while Sony Pictures Television wants to collaborate with him on a lucrative syndicated late-night show. Leno's NBC contract reportedly prevents him from talking with suitors until November 2009.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter