NBC Extends Conan O'Brien Contract

NBC has extended "Late Night" host Conan O'Brien's contract for four more years in a deal that reportedly doubles his salary to nearly $8 million a year.

It was more sweet vindication for O'Brien, who was almost fired after his disastrous start replacing David Letterman in 1993 but has since come to dominate his late-night time slot.

"Late Night" may soon be available to others besides insomniacs and adept tapers. As part of his new deal, NBC is in discussions to allow a cable network to rebroadcast his shows at an earlier hour.

NBC recently made a similar deal for Carson Daly's late-night talk show, which will be repeated on E! Entertainment Television. NBC has not said where O'Brien's show will air again, but a spokesman said it won't be on E!

NBC will also continue to help finance O'Brien's production company, Conaco, which has pilots under consideration for next fall at NBC and Fox.

The Fox network, which has been out of the late-night TV game for a couple of years, reportedly approached O'Brien, offering him a time slot an hour earlier than his current 12:35 a.m. start. O'Brien instead decided to stick with NBC.

"Conan is very loyal to NBC," said his manager, Gavin Polone. "His show is going well. That factored into his decision."

O'Brien wasn't talking Tuesday, except to release a prepared quip: "I'm very excited to be staying at NBC. By my 13th year, we should really know if this thing works or not."

His salary increase comes more than a month after his marriage: His wedding to ad executive Liza Powel, whom he met when she appeared on a skit in his show, took place in Seattle Jan. 12.

O'Brien's on-camera sidekick, Andy Richter, left "Late Night" two years ago and hasn't been replaced. Richter stars in a sitcom that will premiere on Fox this spring.

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