NBC Said to Tell Comcast of Leno Troubles Before Reaching Deal

NBC told Comcast in November that Jay Leno's ratings had hurt local stations, one of the factors that weighed on the value of the entertainment company.

The discussion was part of a broad review of NBC Universal by executives of both companies as Comcast negotiated for General Electric Co.'s entertainment unit. NBC also projected a $200 million loss on the Olympics. The review gave Comcast a heads-up that NBC was considering its options at 10 p.m., two months before the New York-based network announced the decision to move Leno out of prime time. David Bank, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets in New York, estimates NBC will spend $200 million rebuilding its schedule in that time slot.