PASADENA, Calif. (AP) - A new study estimates NBC local stations
would have lost some $22 million in three months if the network
hadn't acted to move Jay Leno out of prime time.

Research firm Harmelin Media says local affiliates saw their
late news audience drop by an average of 25 percent in November
compared with the previous year in a key advertising demo.

It's an illustration of why those stations put pressure on NBC
to end Leno's 10 p.m. show each weeknight. They trace their news
ratings decline to Leno's poor ratings leading into their
programming.

The study analyzes ad prices to suggest that three more months
of Leno would have cost the 210 stations a collective $22 million.
The ratings declines were particularly steep in New York, Los
Angeles and Philadelphia.

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