TBS extends Conan O’Brien through 2015

Turner Broadcasting has extended “Conan� through November 2015, solidifying the network’s relationship with late night host Conan O’Brien.

Time Warner-owned Turner scooped up the red-haired O’Brien in 2010 shortly after red-faced NBC executives displaced the comic to shuffle Jay Leno back into his longtime perch at 11:35 p.m. on “The Tonight Show.� O’Brien had hosted NBC’s marquee late night program for seven months, but ratings proved to be an issue.

O’Brien’s ratings on TBS are not huge either -- the show is averaging 906,000 viewers an episode. But TBS said it was pleased the show has one of the youngest audiences of any traditional late-night talk program.

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“When we invited Conan O’Brien to come to TBS, we knew he would bring with him a passionately loyal following of young adults,� Michael Wright, president of programming for TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies, said in a statement.

In contrast, Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,� averages about 2.6 million viewers an episode. The “Daily Show� spinoff “The Colbert Report� draws about 1.9 million viewers an episode. The two Comedy Central programs also rank first and second among viewers ages 18 to 34.

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The median age of O’Brien’s audience is 39, which is a much younger and more fickle flock than those who tune in for Leno on NBC or David Letterman on CBS. “Conan� is produced on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank.

O’Brien might have the last laugh, too. In a repeat of NBC’s 2010 late-night drama, NBC once again is making arrangements to push Leno into retirement. Leno, who continues to be the most-watched talk-show host, has pushed back, ridiculing NBC executives and ratings in his monologues. Leno’s contract ends next year.

With his recent contract extension, O’Brien is expected to survive at least a year longer than Leno.

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