We like Jimmy Fallon online. But, numbers say we do not like him as much on television. Will his new role at the “Tonight Show” change these statistics?
After hosting the “Tonight Show” for more than 20 years, Jay Leno hosted his last show on Feb. 6. His successor will be comedian Fallon, while “Saturday Night Live’s” Seth Meyers will take over Fallon’s old stomping grounds, the “Late Night show.”
Many celebrities joined Jay Leno in his final episode on Feb. 6.
This is the first time in recent history the late night time slots will be predominantly hosted by younger comedians, leaving only the “Late Show’s” David Letterman as a veteran in the market. While the younger comedians will appeal to the coveted adults ages 18 to 49 demographic, will young people actually be watching?
According to Nielsen ratings, the weekly average of adults in the 18 to 49 demographic watching the “Tonight Show” with Leno on a typical September week in 2013 was 3.7 million, with Letterman’s “Late Night Show” trailing in the same time slot at 2.8 million weekly viewers.
The numbers significantly drop in the next hours time slot. “Late Night” with Fallon only generated an average of 1.7 million viewers weekly in 2013. There is less of a difference in this time frame, with CBS competitor, the “Late Late Show” with Craig Ferguson, garnering 1.3 million viewers weekly.
There is one place we are watching Fallon: Youtube. A “Full House” reunion skit that aired on “Late Night” on Jan. 29 has had over 8 million views, with other videos succeeding similarly.
Rob Weiner, an associate librarian and resident pop culture guru at Texas Tech, said he is not surprised more people are watching Fallon online than on television.
“Obviously, the numbers for late night television aren’t what they were 30 years ago,” Weiner said. “Mediums change, attention spans change, people have a lot more choices and things vying for their time.”
Sarah Riffel, a senior political science major from Pearland, Texas, said that she is a big fan of Fallon. She thinks the earlier time of the “Tonight Show” will help boost Fallon’s ratings.
Fallon on the “Late Night” show.
“Like me, I think a lot of people just forget to tune in for Late Night,” Riffel said. “Whereas the ‘Tonight Show’ is just sort of effortless since it airs right after the news.”
Weiner said that the first week with the new hosts will undoubtedly bring viewers in, because they will be curious. After that, it is hard to predict. With declining ratings every year, it is possible that one day, we may not have late night talk shows, he said.
“There may come a time that we’re down to 50,000 watching it, and they might have to pull the plug,” Weiner said. “Do I think that could happen? Probably not. But anything is possible.”
Fallon will take over the “Tonight Show” on Feb. 17, with his first guest being Will Smith and band U2. The “Tonight Show” can be watched locally on NBC affiliate, KCBD, at 10:30 p.m. throughout the week.
About Sarah Self-Walbrick
