No News Is Good News for Jay Leno

Mon., Apr. 13, 2009 3:05 PM PDT by Natalie Finn

Mike Guastella/WireImage.com

No need for a changing of the channel in Boston.

Beantown's NBC affiliate, WHDH-TV, has backed off from an earlier decision to air local news at 10 p.m. instead of the upcoming Jay Leno Show, giving NBC no further cause to search for a different station to call home.

"We are very pleased that WHDH will carry Jay Leno's new primetime comedy show," said NBC TV Network president John Eck, who last week threatened to pull all Peacock programming if WHDH picked news over Leno's new venture.

"We look forward to working closely with the station on a successful launch in Boston of this show, featuring one of the most bankable stars in the business."

WHDH owner Ed Ansin didn't indicate what exactly changed his mind—although we're guessing a bottom line was involved—but instead wished the outgoing Tonight Show host the best.

"Upon further consideration, we have decided to telecast Jay Leno at 10:00 p.m. starting in September,'' Ansin said in a statement today. "Jay is from Andover, where I went to school. I enjoy his humor. We hope the new show is a big success."