NBC tries to hold on to Jay leno

NEW YORK, July 21 (UPI) -- The decision to have Conan O'Brien take over "The Tonight Show" in 2009 has U.S. TV network NBC wondering what to do with Jay Leno when he leaves the show.

The network's new co-chairmen Ben Silverman and Marc Graboff not only have to completely change the network's prime-time lineup, they also said they want to keep Leno away from Fox or ABC, Variety.com reported Saturday.

"We want him to stay at NBC for life," Silverman told journalists at the Television Critics Association press tour. "And Marc and I are aggressively trying to come up with ideas that would make Jay happy."

"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" brought in around $250 million in advertising sales in 2006, an estimated 15 percent of NBC's advertising profits.

Leno, 59, said he still loves doing the show and would have kept going if NBC had not asked him step aside to make room for O'Brien.