Conan Goes Cable

Conan O’Brien’s recent decision to sign with TBS is a telling statement about the growing influence of cable television and the deceasing power of network television.

Not to long ago(a few years), cable television was the lower tier of television, routinely showing repeats of network shows. More and more, cable television is producing original programming that is directly competing with network television for viewers, topping network television and winning Emmy’s. 

Are Leno and Letterman becoming the dinosaurs?

Conan’s move to TBS, John Stewart on Comedy Central, both shows draw a younger demographic. There is an entire generation of viewers who can’t/won’t discern between cable and network television.  For network television, which continues to see its audience eroding, the shift is crucial to their success, and younger viewers are turning more and more to cable television.

Apparently-the head of TBS approached Conan to bring his show to the cable channel. 

With a average viewership age of 35, Conan’s key demographic of fans age 18-35 fits the station well. 

O’Brien himself utilizes some of the same technology younger fans appreciate, continually tweeting about his career and move  to TBS.  His announcement comes in monologues style: “The good news: I will be doing a show on TBS starting in November! The bad news: I'll be playing Rudy on the all new Cosby Show.”

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. The feeling is Conan will draw a large majority of younger viewers, the key demographic that advertisers covet. Are we seeing network television’s lose one of its last strongholds-Late night television?

Time will tell.