Craig Ferguson tops 'Late Night' ratings

April 11, 2008 For the first time ever, CBS' "Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson" topped NBC's "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" during a full, five-night week of original head-to-head broadcasts ending April 4, Nielsen Media Research reported Thursday. The situation would seem to be cold comfort for NBC executives who announced in September 2004 that O'Brien would take over from Leno as star of "The Tonight Show" in 2009 in a succession plan aimed at smoothing the transition from one host to another. Leno is reported to be privately unhappy about his planned "Tonight Show" exit, and rival networks are said to be quietly, unofficially courting him with offers to come work for them once his NBC contract is up.

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