Conversation so far:
What was The Jay Leno Show's industry impact?
According to former NBC president Fred Silverman, If the Leno Show works, it will be the most significant thing to happen in broadcast television in the last decade.“
When did The Jay Leno Show begin?
The Jay Leno Show premiered on NBC on September 14, 2009.
Was The Jay Leno Show well received?
Though the Jay Leno Show show itself had been meeting the network's projections, it was severely detrimental to the ratings of the late local news on NBC affiliates.

Question: What made it a risk?
Self-contained rewrite: What made The Jay Leno Show a risk?