Conan/Leno madness: the settlement aftermath

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Conan/Leno madness: the settlement aftermath

Thu Jan 21, 2010 @ 11:54AM PST

NBC announced today that lawyers for the network and Conan O'Brien had finalized a settlement. Key components of the deal:

  • Worth $46-47 million, with $33 million going to O'Brien and the rest to his staff
  • O'Brien leaves the network and won't be able to host a TV show elsewhere until September 1
  • NBC retains the rights to characters that O'Brien created  
  • Includes a non-disparagement clause, both for O'Brien and NBC. 
A roundup of interesting reaction and fallout from the news:
  • What does the Conan-Leno-NBC debacle mean for entertainment law? [Above the Law includes our quick take on the issue]
  • Fox is treading carefully, asking its affiliates to run the numbers on bringing O'Brien onboard. So far, they're somewhere between lukewarm and intrigued. [Broadcasting & Cable
  • Conan's show will be in reruns until Leno takes over [TMZ]   
  • "Jay Leno Show" already declared biggest bomb ever in TV [Entertainment Weekly
  • Column: Why Leno leaving prime time hurts all broadcast TV [Advertising Age]
  • Column: How NBC gave Conan his groove back [Time]
  • Column: NBC shouldn't pay Conan a penny [Marketwatch] 
  • Poll: What should Conan do next? [People] 
Finally, our favorite clip from last night's show. Conan riles NBC by making it pay the exhorbitant amount of money it takes to license the rights to Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction":

 

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