In hindsight, do you think it was a mistake for the Conan O'Brien Show to move from the big 3 networks to a smaller cable network?

No. Because I hated that show. They should do the same to David Letterman, and cut the Tonight Show with Jay Leno to 30 min seeing the people I know only listen to the monologue and the first skit and rarely special guests and never the music at the end.

I can honestly say that I have never watched Conan. So it is hard to say whether it is a mistake or not.

I would observe that the late night audience is a comparatively smalll one, and getting smaller every day. So the boys are fighting over very little.

@elbanditoroso: Honestly, have you spent too much time here?

I was a faithful Conan watcher back when he was “Late Night with”, but towards the end of his run there, I stopped watching late night tv entirely. I never see people sharing moments from current late night shows… ever. It’s hard to believe anyone is watching late night these days. So, in some respects, I’m not sure it matters where Conan ended up signing – although I think he would have been better positioned to capitalize on all his fans’ goodwill after the Tonight Show debacle if he’d started the show right away, instead of waiting several months. I think that had a greater effect than which network he went to.

I’m finding that a lot of young people (and I guess I don’t qualify as young, though I tend to identify more strongly with a younger demographic) don’t watch tv on tv anymore. Being on cable is not a barrier to access for Conan’s audience.

It was not a choice. he lost his spot on one of the big three, and the deal available to him was from a cable network.

I cannot see how that show even made it to a network or cable.

I did not like Conan the first time I saw his first promo for the show.

Please replace his show with NCIS.

NBC booted him. He had no choice in the matter. I agree with @dappled_leaves. Conan’s audience is younger than the other late night hosted shows.

I DVR’d him for a bit, but just don’t have time to dedicate to watching late night shows during the day.

maybe, but he is still more watchable than Leno. I’ve tried to watch Leno’s earlier shown, but didn’t catch on and When he got the Tonight Show back, I’ve quit watching it. I am more likely to watch Conan than Jay. I’ve also quit viewing Leno online and just watched Conan clips. Bad move or no, I rather have Conan than Jay.

No. It wasn’t a mistake and people that like him still watch him. Also, if you watch him now, you can tell he still loves what he’s doing and that he appreciates TBS for letting him have a show. Its not always about being on top.

I don’t watch him on TV. On his website they have the last five or six episodes and I usually play through a few of those every week while I’m working on stuff. He’s the only late night show I watch though.

@SpatzieLover I think that is exactly the problem! I tend to stream cable news shows the morning after, and that seems perfectly comfortable, but who wants to watch late night in the daylight? It feels weird.

I disagree that he had no choices. He could have ended up on Fox, but didn’t like their offer I guess?