Conan O’Brien is one of the top talk-show hosts in the world. He is on the verge of ending his contract at the TBS. While he was reportedly earning $12 million dollars, he is looking forward to getting a raise with the renewal of his contract.
The New York Post reported that Conan O’Brien is also looking improve his involvement with TBS. O’Brien is quite popular with the young generation and has garnered quite a following on his YouTube channel.
Even though the ratings for his show hasn’t fared well, Conan O’Brien has got more than 4 million followers. Google has realized the popularity of the man, and with the coming up of YouTube Red, they are looking forward to developing a relationship with him.
This decision on Google’s part has taken many by surprise, but then Conan O’Brien is quite a celebrity and could largely contribute towards Google’s agenda. YouTube is planning on creating a streaming service with TV channels, and in the midst of streaming sites fighting for prominence, Conan O’Brien can help them get viewers.
None of the other streaming channels like Netflix and Hulu have a talk show, and this is where Google is planning on being different. Netflix has recently brought in Chelsea Handler, but Conan O’Brien brings in an eclectic mix of comedy and talk show.
While Conan O’Brien is open to talks with Google, reports suggest that O’Brien will continue with TBS. However, networks usually work out a contract with the celebrities they want to keep working with before the previous one expires, which they haven’t yet done with O’Brien. This forces O’Brien to keep his options open and look into Netflix and Hulu, if not Google.
Conan O’Brien’s contract with TBS ends in 2018 since there is still time, fans are hopeful that the network will make ways to continue being associated with him. Conan O’Brien has had a long-standing relationship with TBS, and both want to continue in the same fashion.
According to The Variety, Turner Broadcasting System’s president David Levy spoke about moving to the digital platform with Conan O’Brien’s show. While at the Entertainment Summit at CES 2017, Levy said that the manner in which television is viewed nowadays had undergone a massive change.
Conan might be on the television network for weeknights, while it goes digital once a week. Levy is also open to airing the show on TV once a week with all the episodes of the program shifting to the digital platform of the network.
Levy was quick to add that TBS hasn’t made any decision regarding Conan. He wanted to make it clear that what matters these days is what the viewers watch, not where and how. In such a situation, David Levy wanted to make it evident that TBS is looking to shift to the digital platform and would want Conan O’Brien to head the same way.
Conan has been on air on TBS since 2010, and it is about time for the show to make some changes. With O’Brien’s contract ending, the network is looking to make some changes in the show. NY Times reported that Kevin Reilly, the chief creative officer of Turner Entertainment is planning on changing the show to some extent.
Reilly informed that TBS hadn’t taken any decision yet. While TBS hasn’t decided on how frequently Conan would air on TBS, he assured fans that the network would continue associating with Conan O’Brien, which hints at renewal.