NBC Boston to Leno: We're Dropping Your 10 p.m. Show

You know how it's such a brilliant idea for NBC to put Jay Leno on in the 10 p.m. slot? Well, they don't think so in Boston.

The NBC affiliate there, WHDH, has decided to run an hour-long newscast instead of Leno. The station believes that the move of Leno to 10 p.m. is going to kill the lead-in audience for its 11 p.m. newscast, which apparently has already been seeing ratings declines. Meanwhile, according to the Boston Globe, a Fox affiliate newscast at 10 p.m. sometimes beats network TV shows.

NBC is pissed: "If they persist, we will strip WHDH of its NBC affiliation. We have a number of other strong options in the Boston market, including using our existing broadcast license to launch an NBC owned-and-operated station."

So is this some modern day form of Boston Tea Party, or part of deeper concerns among NBC stations across the country that the Leno prime time program is a mistake? There's enough concern, apparently, according to Mediaweek, that the board of NBC affiliates is launching a study to see how to make Leno a good lead-in for newcasts. (Hey! I've got an idea! How about lots of promos during Leno's show about what's going to be on the news at 11?)

Seriously though, it's fascinating -- and maybe a bit impudent -- for WHDH to decide to do this before the program has even aired. Give the poor guy a chance.