Apr 3 2009The Anti-Leno Revolution Has Begun

And it will not be televised... in Boston. A lone voice has emerged to protect Massachusetts residents from pre-taped segments about how little trivia people on the street know:

The first great NBC-affiliate battle over the new primetime Jay Leno show is poised to take place in Boston -- the host's hometown.

WHDH-TV, Boston's Peacock affiliate, announced via its website Thursday that it plans to launch an hour-long 10 p.m. newscast in the fall.

That would pre-empt Leno's new, still-untitled 10 p.m. series. NBC swiftly responded, warning WHDH that such a move would make them in breach of their pact with the net -- and that the Peacock wouldn't hesitate to yank the station's affiliation.

Sunbeam chief Ed Ansin, who owns WHDH, told the Boston Globe that he decided to replace Leno with news because "it fundamentally is a better financial plan for us."

"We don't think the Leno show is going to be effective in primetime," Ansin said. "It will be detrimental to our 11 o'clock (newscast). It will be very adverse to our finances."

I salute you, Ed Ansin (who I think we're all imagining as Ed Asner from The Mary Tyler Moore Show). Someone had to stop Jay Leno from driving one of his sweet cars to 10 o'clock--a time when children may still be awake and able to form humor neurons around the concept of giggling at mildly-amusing newspaper clippings. But while you're at it, Ed, could you do something about Carson Daly? Nothing convinces me it's time for bed more than his open shirt and gelled coif.

Boston doesn't want Jay Leno show [Variety]