NBC says "make no mistake" about it - Andover will be able to watch native son Jay Leno's new talk show when it premieres this fall.
It just may be on NBC's Spanish-language channel or on a new NBC Boston affiliate.
"Jay Leno fans will not be disappointed," said NBC president John Eck said. "Make no mistake, the new Leno show will air at 10 p.m. weeknights in the Boston market on NBC."
Local NBC affliate WHDH (Channel 7) announced Thursday it was dropping Leno in favor of adding another hour of news at 10 p.m.
NBC has responded firmly, threatening to strip WHDH of its network affiliation if it doesn't air Leno and undoubtedly send a message to any other stations that may be thinking of doing the same thing.
"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," Eck said.
NBC owns Telemundo, a Spanish-language network with a Boston affiliate, which has been reported as another option for Leno.
A local radio station is also trying to get an audio version of the show to air.
Leno grew up in Andover and when he went to California to step into Johnny Carson's shoes on the "Tonight Show," he never forgot his hometown.
He came back to visit. He donated money to Andover High. He invited some of his favorite teachers onto his show.
That is why Leno's fellow Andoverites are so upset with WHDH's decision.
"I am heartily disappointed that his old friends and schoolmates can't see him on television," said longtime Leno friend Bernice Haggerty of Andover.
She's known Leno since he was in a fourth-grader — he was a classmate of her daughter, Nancy Varnum. "That is very bad news."
Ironically, the news is what's slated to replace Leno.
Ed Ansin, who owns WHDH's parent company, said that he did not believe Leno's new show would be successful. He said the station would do better financially with a news show that competes with Fox-affiliated WFXT-TV's highly rated 10 p.m. newscast on Channel 25.
WHDH now runs local news at 11 p.m. and produces a 10 p.m. newscast for sister station WLVI-Channel 56. It's 11 p.m. newscast runs third in the ratings to the other Boston networks, while its 10 p.m. newscast on Channel 56 runs second to Channel 25.
When Haggerty learned a newscast would be on instead of Leno, she said, "The news is never that good any more."
Leno hasn't said anything about this publicly so far. However, his close friend Lewis Trumbore spoke to him yesterday and believes that Leno is taking it all in stride.
"Jay always says, 'Welcome to show business. There is always drama," said Trumbore with a laugh. Trumbore believes that WHDH will change its mind. If it doesn't, he'll watch the show online.
"That's the beauty of the Internet," Trumbore said.
Leno's former teacher, Martha Walsh of Andover said the news is important, however humor is important as well.
"I think in the time we are living right now, we need some humor," Walsh said.
She's also noticed TV news getting repetitive.
"You need a comedian on at 10 p.m.," said Walsh. "In Andover, people are very fond of Jay."
One of those people is Olivia Sintros of Andover. Her parents owned the famous Ford's Coffee Shop downtown, which was frequented by Leno since his high school days. She was also very upset to hear about WHDH's plans to yank Leno's new show.
"Aren't there enough newscasts? Between the Internet and all the news stations, I don't think we need another newscast," she said.
"Jay is a local guy, we need to support him," said Sintros, who expects most of Andover to be equally upset.
"I think they will feel the way I feel," said Sintros, who was looking forward to catching Leno an hour and a half earlier on week nights.
"For us, in this locality, he's a local, hometown boy who has never forgotten his roots and we would like Channel 7 to take that into account and allow Jay to be on at 10 o'clock on Channel 7," she said.
WCAP-980 AM Executive News Editor Dean Johnson has also heard from many upset locals. He compared this controversy to the one that started the American Revolution.
"This Jay Leno thing has become the next 'shot heard round the world' in Massachusetts. It's the television version of the Boston Tea Party," he said.
That's why his station has been in touch with the executives at NBC to see if WCAP can run an audio version of the show.
"Why not give people the opportunity to listen to Jay every weeknight?" Johnson asked.
A former TV and radio reporter for The Boston Herald, Johnson said he doesn't understand what the reasoning behind WHDH's move.
"I have to think it's a revenue thing," Johnson said. "If they put on a local show in that slot, all the revenue goes to them."
Material from the Associated Press was used in the this report.
