Fox TV: Reilly in "wowee" mode over O'Brien; Rice's duties expected to expand (VAR, B&C;, DH, LAT, NYT)

By Nancy Tartaglione

Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly told reporters on Monday, "We're kind of digesting it the same way you are. We are a little bit just in sort of the 'wowee' mode right now." He was talking about the shake-up at NBC and the speculation that Conan O'Brien might find a home at Fox.

At the TCA press tour, Reilly and Fox Entertainment chair Peter Rice said they have very informally discussed O'Brien's situation with the host's reps, but have held no conversations about being a potential home for him.

O'Brien's contractual terms at NBC could affect Fox's pursuit of him in several ways, The New York Times noted. Reilly, according to the NYT, acknowledged that even if O'Brien found a home at Fox, NBC could insist that it had the right to keep him from starting a show for an extended period of time - as long as a year or more.

Laying aside O'Brien's issues at NBC, another hurdle Fox would face if it were to bring the host over would be clearing a latenight talker. Stations have done quite well with syndicated fare, where they get to hold on to more advertising inventory. "The affiliates have, on a case by case basis, committed to their own programming," Reilly said, according to Variety. "That becomes a very sensitive business discussion. But with a top piece of talent that makes it a conversation to have."

Meanwhile, media outlets also reported yesterday that News Corp. is considering a restructuring of its TV division that would re-shuffle duties among top executives.

Rice is expected to assume greater control over the entertainment assets, including the cable side, while David Hill will gain greater power on the sports side.

Broadcasting & Cable reported that Fox National Cable Networks President Rich Battista could end up either being reassigned within the company or out the door.

Still being determined are changes, if any, to the role of Fox Networks Group chairman Tony Vinciquerra.

The moves are part of News Corp. COO Chase Carey's plans to streamline operations and consolidate TV programming under two executives, The Los Angeles Times reported citing unidentified sources.

Back at the TCA press tour, Rice's and Reilly's session was also spent discussing Simon Cowell's exit from "American Idol" and the 2011 launch of "The X Factor."

Other topics discussed included last week’s shelving of "Our Little Genius."

"(Mark Burnett) has indicated he wants to re-produce the show himself, but we haven't engaged him on that yet," Reilly said.

In other FOX-TCA news, Reilly said the network is looking to expand its animation horizon beyond Seth McFarlane (having recently picked up the series "Bob's Burgers," for example). "We're looking to broaden our animation brand a litle bit, (so) we're not all Seth all the time," he said.