WHAT'S ON TV TONIGHT? WHAT'S ON TV TONIGHT? The Jay Leno Showfrom its prime-time lineup after his Feb. 11 show, and return him to late night on March 1, after the Winter Olympics, in a half-hour format. LOS ANGELES  NBC on Sunday confirmed plans to dropfrom its prime-time lineup after his Feb. 11 show, and return him to late night on March 1, after the Winter Olympics, in a half-hour format. "While it performed at an acceptable level for the network, it did not meet our affiliates' needs, and we need to make a change," NBC Universal TV chief Jeff Gaspin told TV critics at their semiannual gathering. Leno will return to his old perch at 11:35 p.m. ET/PT, and NBC has asked Tonight Showhost Conan O'Brien to move to 12:05, with Late Night with Jimmy Fallonat 1:05. But it has yet to hammer out a deal with O'Brien, who must agree to the change in his contract. "I'd like to tell you we have a done deal, (but) that's not true," Gaspin said. "Talks are ongoing" with O'Brien, and "my goal and my hope is he will stay with the network." Fox has publicly expressed interest in having O'Brien move to a late-night show. Gaspin expects to resolve the situation before the Olympics starts on Feb. 12, and said that Leno, O'Brien and Fallon "were incredibly gracious and professional" in meetings to discuss the issue last week. The odd man out if O'Brien agrees is Carson Daly, who now hosts a late-late night show at 1:35 a.m. His show would be dropped, but, Gaspin said, "Carson will be part of the NBC family regardless of what happens." Though NBC had vowed to assess Leno on a "52-week basis," and Gaspin said that "for the network, it was not a bad decision" to air Leno in prime time, "the affiliates started to call and say our local news was affected more than we expected." In some cities, local newscasts went from first to third place, after ratings for Leno's show dropped nearly 30% from last fall's scripted fare. (ABC and CBS also were down slightly among younger viewers during the fall.) "Toward the end of December, we realized things were not going to go much better if we kept this in place." To replace Leno at 10 starting March 1, Gaspin says NBC is likely to add two more hours of scripted dramas, possibly including Friday Night Lights and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, along with an hour of reality, an expanded Dateline NBC and repeats. The Biggest Loser and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit could also shift an hour later. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more