LocalNewser dispatches from the frontlines of local news

And So It Begins: The “Leno Effect” Gives Way to “Leno Blowback”

You knew somebody would stand up and call NBC out for the Jay Leno fiasco.  But would you have guessed it'd be Gray Television COO Bob Prather?

Prather, whose company owns local NBC affils in Omaha, Madison and South Bend, throws down the "ego" card in his comments about NBC and its losing Leno strategy, telling Media Daily News "The Leno experiment is not working so far.  I'm sure they'll stick with it longer than they need to...their ego won't let them probably get rid of it soon enough."

Prather tells Media Daily's David Goetzl confirmed what many station groups are feeling when it comes to Leno:  you're killing us at eleven.  The late news losses come amid an overall revenue drop of 20% in the third quarter, with Gray reporting a loss of $10 million.

Interestingly, Prather has reportedly not yet expressed his concerns directly to NBC, but according to Goetzl, "will make (Gray's) feelings known."

Am I to believe that NBC is somehow not getting its ear burned off by stations that used to be number one in late news--or fighting a good fight for number two--that have slipped out of contention thanks in large part to Jay Leno?  Can anyone explain why that would be?

If you'd like a look at Gray's operating results--and how the company's efforts to drive local online seem to be showing results, have a look here.