According The New York Times writer Bill Carter, who wrote an incredible book called “The Late Shift” about Leno’s original ascent to The Tonight Show after a protracted public battle for the slot with David Letterman),  the longtime Tonight Show host is signing a new deal with NBC to host a show every weeknight, only 90 minutes earlier.

Conan O’Brien has been slated to take over hosting duties for the hallowed 11:30 p.m. time slot on NBC for years, with Leno agreeing at the time that he would retire from the show in 2009. But in recent months that decision has been publicly debated by network execs, especially as they grew nervous about the strength of the also-long-expected show filling O’Brien’s slot, hosted by former SNL vet Jimmy Fallon.

The new deal was apparently vetted heavily to Leno by NBC Universal head Jeff Zucker, who has been the target of most critics as the Leno retirement loomed closer and Leno considered other deals with other networks and even Sony Television. And with NBCU’s recent budget woes, Zucker is now taking another chance — putting a chat host in primetime every weeknight.

But really, how well is NBC doing at 10 nowadays, with “Heroes” faltering in a big way, “ER” on its way out and a bunch of quickly-canceled new dramas? Are people dropping the Big 5 nets at 10 to jump to cable programming or early local newscasts?

And has an appetite for chat and monologues been shown on some cable news networks? That may be apparent for sister cable network MSNBC, who now has Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow’s liberal-loving court jesting scoring better in younger demos than conservative strongholds Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity. And a lot of young demo folks who never watch Leno or Letterman are now skipping the local newscast and diving into a similar format over on Comedy Central with Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

Unlike his NBCU coworkers at MSNBC, Leno hasn’t burned bridges with conservative viewers. He can continue his fairly apolitical razing of everyone at an hour when people aren’t going to bed. And best of all for him, no more comparing and contrasting to Letterman!

Where this could get even more interesting for NBC is if Fallon really does fall flat. Do they treat him like they did O’Brien and give him lots of time to find his niche? Or will we suddenly get a repeat of Leno’s show from earlier? And if Leno does score in the ratings, would ABC try to follow suit? Personally, I’d love to see Jimmy Kimmel earlier and the unsung Craig Ferguson taking on Letterman.

Peter Lassally, who has produced shows for Johnny Carson, Letterman and Ferguson, told the NYT that NBC came to Carson in the late 1980’s with a similar idea, but Carson rejected it.

“It’s all different now,” Lassally said. “The economic factors have changed so much it makes complete sense for NBC to try this.”

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New at 8 p.m.

• NCIS (CBS)

New at 8:30 p.m.

• Gavin & Stacey (BBC America)
• Rita Rocks (Lifetime)

New at 9 p.m.

• Fringe (Fox)
• Real Housewives in Atlanta (Bravo)
• Dirty Jobs (Discovery)

New at 10 p.m.

• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)
• Without A Trace (CBS)
• Paris Hilton’s My New BFF (MTV)
• Coolio’s Rules (Oxygen)
• Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is (BET)

New at 10:30 p.m.

• Living With The Wolfman (Animal Planet)
• The Rookies (A&E)

New at 11 p.m.

• Frank TV (TBS)

(Image: Prashant Gupta/FX)

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As people stay in more to watch TV because they aren’t going out as much as budget crunches hit the wallet, could Americans build a new, unconnected video network that replaces shows with podcasts or digital downloads and leaving traditional cable-based companies to maybe, possibly, lower rates?

A column in TVWeek.com seems to think so. Daisy Whitley said since she can now download shows on Netflix on her XBox 360, she can now live a cable-free life.

That would be a credit to NBC Entertainment’s unprecedented attempts to offer all their content for free on their own platform (try searching for SNL on YouTube and you’ll see how hard they protect their brand), including news shows. And if you’re willing to shill out for iTunes copies for almost every show aired in the U.S. (could you please add UK ones next, Apple? Some of us fans of ITV reality shows which will never re-air here would be so pleased.)

It’s a shame that there’s not a really great P2P site where you could pay license fees to networks you wanted to see. That might mean the end of waiting till the DVD’s are out to have movie content downloadable, but would people still go to movies instead of watching from laptops?

However, this Christmas season has shown that box office numbers are surprisingly normal for the hit movies (“Twilight” ended up using social networking and fan sites to draw buzz weeks before it came out.) And in England, there’s a huge movement for artists to get their own song copyrights back from the labels, so they can have more control over what they can do with it online. So possibly there will be changes…and a lot of traditional media outlets struggling to cope.

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It’s hard to debate that Britney Spears has been pretty unforgettable this year. How many of us woke up on a couple of mornings in January to find out that she’d been the subject of another media circus, with paparazzi and mainstream press nudging each other aside as she was committed to some sort of involuntary treatment? She was the first story on CNN’s live morning coverage, for crying out loud.

Now Britney’s back and from all appearances will cement her “comeback” on Dec. 2, when her new album comes out on her 27th birthday. Shortly before that, she will be on MTV again, but not with another shambotic performance like last year’s VMA’s. This time she will be the subject of an MTV documentary about her life now. And instead of presenting a portrait of a perfect pop princess who rules the world, like it would’ve been just three years ago, it actually seems to show the truth of her struggle with a mental disorder.

According to an Los Angeles Times article about a pre-screening of “Britney Spears: For the Record”, which debuts Nov. 30, Spears is very candid about her mixed feelings concerning her current life. Previous tabloid reports describe her comparing her existance to a prisoner. But if nothing else, the LAT was left with the impression that Britney’s terribly bored most of the time, and not the least bit peppy.

From the LAT article:

She reveals to the filmmaker that her trust has been “battered” and that she’s “grown up big time.” Tears well up in her eyes when she talks about how feeling lonely led to poor decisions with major consequences. “I’m sad,” she says finally before bursting into tears.

They end up interviewing Larry Randolph, the manager who was largely responsible for Spears’ initial stardom and who ended up being dropped, then rehired after she spiraled into disarray. Rudolph, along with Britney’s dad and current conservator, Jamie Spears, helped her not only get her career back on track, but helped her regain joint custody of her kids and probably saved her life. Which is something that Britney does recognize on the show. And seemingly Randolph has somehow stayed Britney’s biggest fan.

When he was asked if he had any doubts about returning to Britney’s side after her breakdown, he said:

 

I’ve known this girl for over half her life, since she was 13. We have a very close friendship, but it’s sort of hard for me to explain my relationship with her. It’s a friendship, it’s a business relationship, there are some paternal aspects to it. We get along very well. I understand her better than everyone other than her immediate family. There’s a shorthand we use in terms of dealing with each other that just works. The bottom line is I think she’s amazing. I love her. She’s been a big part of my life, and I’ve been a big part of her life. Being a part of this new phase in her career is something I was very open to.

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According to the Los Angeles Times, several network mainstays are performing so badly that their futures are now in doubt. Fox’s “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?,” has lost nearly half its share of the 18-to-49-year-old demographic since last year, and viewership for NBC’s “Deal Or No Deal” has falled nearly 29 percent for its Wednesday show. Even ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars” has lost 9 percent of its audience for this year’s lineup, despite the Cloris Leachman controversy that attracted media attention.

On the other hand, some lower performing scripted shows have shown rebirth this year, with NBC’s “30 Rock” up 23 percent over last year, and the CW’s “Gossip Girl” up 20 percent.

So what’s behind the switcharoo? The LAT article blames the trend on aging shows and overexposure.

It’s hard to believe it, but “Survivor” is in its 17th season, and DWTS is in its seventh cycle. There’s also the factor of overexposure, with “Deal” airing several times a week at times. A great example of how that can happen was ABC’s “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire”, which was incredibly successful when it first aired but died quickly when the network aired it four times a week.

But frankly, as people got caught up in the political drama of the Presidential race this fall and now are dealing with the financial crisis, do they possibly have enough reality without reality TV? That’s possibly a bigger factor than networks bargained for.

Also, some cable news shows like MSNBC’s ”The Rachel Maddow Show” have picked up pretty big audiences that may have come from networks. And some of the shows that have gained audiences, like “30 Rock” and “Gossip Girl”, have had more media and blogosphere attention this year than they had last fall.

Reality shows are relatively cheap to make, so those with struggling ratings may stick around longer than they would otherwise. But “Survivor” fans may want to get their fill now before the show gets voted off the island.

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With a bigamist baby daddy on "Private Practice" and a long-overdue catfight on "Dirty Sexy Money", all those eyeballs who have given up watching ABC on Wednesday nights should be making a return trip.

Read on for the full listings for all the new stuff to watch tonight…

New at 8 p.m.

• Knight Rider (ABC)
• Bones (Fox)
• The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS)

New at 8:30 p.m.

• Gary, Unmarried (CBS)
• Time Warp (Discovery)

New at 9 p.m.

• Criminal Minds (CBS)
• Stylista (The WB)
• Friday Night Lights (DirecTV)
• Inside the NFL (Showtime)

New at 10 p.m.

• Law & Order (NBC)
• CSI: NY (CBS)
• Sons of Anarchy (FX)
• Parking Wars (A&E)
• Prototype This (Discovery)
• UFO Hunters (History)
• South Park (Comedy Central)

New at 10:30 p.m.

• Chocolate News (Comedy Central)
• Ski Patrol (TruTV)

(Photo by Newscom)

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New at 8 p.m.

• Dancing With The Stars Performance Recap Show (ABC):
• The Biggest Loser (NBC):
• NCIS (CBS)

New at 8:30 p.m.

• Gavin & Stacey (BBC America)
• Rita Rocks (Lifetime)

New at 9 p.m.

• Dancing With The Stars Results Show (ABC):
• Privileged (The WB)
• Dirty Jobs (Discovery)

New at 10 p.m.

• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)
• Without A Trace (CBS)
• Eli Stone (ABC)
• Real Housewives of Atlanta (Bravo)
• Paris Hilton’s My New BFF (MTV)
• Coolio’s Rules (Oxygen)
• Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is (BET)

New at 10:30 p.m.

• Living With The Wolfman (Animal Planet)
• The Rookies (A&E)

11 p.m.

• Frank TV (TBS)
• Manswers (Spike)
• Sex Change Hospital (WE)

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 New at 8 p.m.

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS): More about this show here.
• Dancing With The Stars (ABC): More about this show here.
• Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: More about this show here.
• Little People, Big World (TLC):

New at 8:30 p.m.

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS): More about this show here.
• Monday Night Football (ESPN):

New at 9 p.m.

• Two and A Half Men (CBS): More about this show here.
• Prison Break (Fox): More about this show here.
• Real Chance of Love (VH1): More about this show here.

New at 9:30 p.m.

• Worst Week (CBS): More about this show here.

New at 10 p.m.

• My Own Worst Enemy
• CSI: Miami (CBS): More about this show here.
• Twins, Twins and Septuplets (TLC)
• The Hills (MTV)
• Scream Queens (VH1)

(NBC Photo: Mitch Haddad)

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Also On:

8 p.m.

• My Name Is Earl (NBC):
• Smallville (NBC):
• Survivor: Gabon (CBS):

8:15 p.m.

• NFL Football (NFL Network):Broncos at Browns

8:30 p.m.

• Kath & Kim (NBC)

9 p.m.

• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS)
• Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
• Kitchen Nightmares (Fox)
• Dragon’s Den (BBC America)

10 p.m.

• Eleventh Hour (CBS)
• Life On Mars (ABC)
• 50 Cent: The Money and the Power (MTV):
• Celebrity Rehab w/ Dr. Drew (VH1):
• It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX):
• LA Ink (TLC):
• Tim Gunn’s House of Style (Bravo): 

10:30 p.m.

• The Sarah Silverman Program (Comedy)

(NBC Photo: Nicole Rivelli)

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Tonight’s lineup features plenty of guitars and cowboy hats, but also offers the season premiere of “Top Chef” and a full lineup of crime dramas on CBS.

8 p.m.

• The 42nd Annual CMA Awards (ABC): If you like country music or just like to snark about the outfits that folks wear to country music award shows, this is the one for you. Brad Paisley (known for his funny songs, including one that talks about looking for ticks) and Carrie Underwood of “American Idol” fame are hosting. If you’re on Twitter, I’ll be doing live coverage tonight.
• America’s Next Top Model (The WB): Paulina offers the girls advice on how to successfully model with a variety of items, including fish and toilet paper. Back at the house the girls decide to unwind by inviting some local guys over for an evening full of games. And I’m sure that will lead to no drama at all, because none of the games would ever involve alcohol.
• Knight Rider (NBC): Knight Industries is hot on the trail of a Bonnie & Clyde-esque criminal couple, only to discover their true identities have a serious impact on a national congressional race. I swear this show sounds like “Miami Vice” with a newer car.
• Bones (Fox): Booth and Brennan investigate the scene where a body was uncovered during a botched practice police raid. The team identifies the body as a struggling inventor’s father who had recently reunited with his son. But when a second body surfaces, the team is led on a trail of deception to find out who was the actual con-man in the inventor’s life. Meanwhile, Booth’s younger brother Jared (guest star Brendan Fehr) moves to D.C. to take a job at the Pentagon, and Brennan, smitten with Jared, agrees to go on a date with him to a White House function. This leads her to learn information about Booth’s past and give her a far greater understanding into her partner’s motives
• The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS): Christine is thrilled when a talent scout recruits Ritchie to audition for a television commercial after his shockingly great performance in a school play, but Richard refuses to let him go.
• Monarchy: The Royal Family At Work (PBS): This documentary series is kinda groundbreaking because of the huge access the Royal Family gave to the photographers for filming. Tonight’s segment covers Queen Elizabeth II’s trip to America last year to commemerate the founding of the first English colony of Jamestown, and it also includes a state dinner at the White House.

8:30 p.m.

• Gary, Unmarried (CBS): When Vanessa asks Gary to take her on a real date, he tells her that he’s taking her to a very special restaurant just for them, which Vanessa discovers was the same restaurant he and Allison used to frequent. Really, why do people actually think that their SO won’t figure these things out?
• Time Warp (Discovery): The show demonstrates how a whip cracks and how dogs shake water off their fur. Fascinating.

9 p.m.

• Criminal Minds (CBS): Dr. Reid embarks on his own investigation into the murder of a young boy years earlier in Las Vegas that he strongly believes has a connection to his own childhood.
• Life (NBC): In a plotline sure to make everyone feel really safe for their holiday shopping, a murder takes place in a mall on the biggest shopping day of the year. Crews and Reese end up searching for more than just the killer. In a moment of confusion the body disappears, Crews and Reese are then faced with the task of tracking down both the body and the killer in one of the largest malls in America on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
• Stylista (The WB): The contestants hit Henry Bendel to shop for an outfit for Anne, who is taking a last-minute trip. The group breaks up into teams to design and direct a photo shoot featuring a Tory Burch outfit. Tory appears on the show as a guest judge and helps Anne and Joe decide which team made her outfit look the best on the page. Anne and Joe send two contestants home for poor performance.
• Mythbusters (Discovery): Common phrases are studied. I would assume that these would be stuff like “A penny saved is a penny earned.”
• Ghost Hunters (Sci-Fi): TAPS recalls their favorite investigations.
• Friday Night Lights (DirecTV)
• Inside the NFL (Showtime)

10 p.m.

• Law & Order (NBC): Rick Devon’s (guest star Bradford Cover) body is found murdered in a park, and his death is automatically assumed to be drug related. Upon investigation, the detectives stumble upon a key in a nearby bathroom that could potentially have been left behind by the killer. Prints on the key lead the detectives to fa ormer felon, Diego Cardenas (guest star Carlos Leon), who has cleaned up his act and now works at a home for mentally challenged adults. After questioning Diego, the detectives discover a hidden relationship between the murder victim and another resident of the home that guides the detectives to uncover a painful family secret that could expose the killer.
• CSI: NY (CBS):  Investigation of a floating crime scene leads the team into the world of “SecretU” an art-house world of true confessionals where 20-somethings divulge their darkest secrets with deadly results. So basically it sounds like Post Secret meeting the Grim Reaper.
• Sons of Anarchy (FX): Jax’s loyalty to SAMCRO is tested, and Abel may get more than he bargained for after being released from the hospital.
• Top Chef (Bravo): This is the season premiere for the show, which is based in NYC for this round. Their first challenge is to represent the ethnic flavors that the city is famous for. So there should be at least two reworkings of thin-crust pizza.
• South Park (Comedy Central): Tonight’s show takes aim at “High School Musical”, which should be hilarious.
• Parking Wars (A&E): In case you were wondering if there were any ideas left for reality shows, apparently there are. In this ep, a parking officer skirmishes with drunk partyers and a man tries to elude a parking boot.
• Prototype This (Discovery): The team tries to recreate a water park slide in a backyard. Didn’t they already do that on “The Girls Next Door”?

10:30 p.m.

• Chocolate News (Comedy Central): If you didn’t see the post-election show last week, it was awesome and David Allen Grier became the 2000th person to cry onscreen after Obama’s win. Tonight’s show involves “nutritious crack”, which sounds way too “Chappelle’s Show” for me.

(NBC Photo: Trae Patton)

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