CBS Sports has committed "billions in 1994 to let the world
know that it's still in the sports business," according to a
report in the current issue of BROADCASTING & CABLE.  CBS Sports
President David Kenin has overseen the network's purchase of
"multisport" rights to the NCAA, the college bowl alliance, and
the PGA Tour.  Kenin has "earmarked millions to build an
anthology franchise, Eye on Sports, as well as various figure
skating events and a boxing series."  Kenin: "It was never the
case that we as a sports division should have been written off.
We were never out of business, and it was never our goal to leave
the business." Kenin calls the NCAA deal his "most important deal
to date," and he is committed to make CBS' boxing series "work"
at least through next summer, despite poor ratings thus far.
Kenin said the series attracted a major sponsor in Quaker State
and "came close to paying for itself."  Kenin said CBS will
continue to invest in "Eye on Sports" (Steve McClellan,
BROADCASTING & CABLE, 1/9 issue).
     CBS TALKS WITH BIG-12:  CBS Sports is "considering"
broadcasting both the Southwest Conference and Big East
Conference post-season men's basketball tournament in '96.  The
network is also in discussions about a basketball TV package with
the Big 12 in its inaugural season in '96-97 (Steve Richardson,
DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/11).

     The Falcons "broke from tradition" yesterday, giving local
radio rights to Z-93 (WZGC-FM) -- a classic rock and roll
station, owned by Infinity Broadcasting  -- for the next three
years.  It will mark the first time in franchise history the
flagship station will be on the FM dial, and the team becomes the
sixth NFL franchise acquired by Infinity.  Terms were not
disclosed, but it could reportedly fall in the $2-$3M range,
which "doubles the rights fee" from WSB-AM last year (Prentis
Rogers, ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 1/12).

     "Off the Record with Pat Summerall," a Raycom-Summerall
Group production that has Summerall speaking with NFL and Super
Bowl heros, will run in syndication from January 21-January 29.
The hour-long show is cleared in approximately 80% of the
country, and 17 of top 20 markets (Raycom)...ESPN led all basic
cable networks in fourth quarter 1994 ratings.  ESPN rating a 2.6
for primetime coverage, up from a 2.0 of last year.  The USA
Network rated second at 2.3, up from 2.2.  Virtually all basic
networks showed a ratings jump from last year, with only TBS and
MTV showing slight drops (BROADCASTING & CABLE, 1/9 issue)....CBS
Radio will air eight regular season NCAA basketball games from
January 22-March 12 (CBS Radio)....Prime SportsChannel announced
"wall-to-wall" coverage of Super Bowl week, January 23-29, on its
network.  Prime will cary live coverage of photo day, team
interviews, Commissioner Tagliabue's address to the media, and
coach's press conferences (NewSport)....The America 3 all-women's
yacht team was profiled on last night's "Dateline NBC."... Sports
Illustrated returns its Golf Plus section in the January 16 issue
(SI).

     NBC West Coast CEO Don Ohlmeyer yesterday "attacked the
business practices, programming and regulatory activities of his
Fox competitors" in a session with the media.  Ohlmeyer addressed
the question of whether Fox is in violation of FCC rules limiting
foreign ownership: "Nobody was aware until May of this year that
99% of the equity was owned by News Corp. ... If the rule is a
foreign entity may not own more than 25% ... then they did
something -- and I hate to use the word -- illegal."  On the
FCC's efforts to encourage competition and the growth of a
network by exempting Fox from certain regulations:  "You can't
have just one of four people in a business play by one set of
rules and the three other guys play by a total different set of
rules just because you have arbitrarily said they're not a
network" (Eric Mink, N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/12).

     With yesterday's settlement, local broadcasting and TV
networks began rushing to put together hockey coverage for the
abbreviated season.  ESPN and Fox both were waiting on a season
schedule from the league to finalize plans.   ESPN will have 14
telecasts, with a 39-game schedule for ESPN2 (Rudy Martzke, USA
TODAY, 1/12).  Fox, who just signed a five-year $155M deal with
the league, was scheduled to make its debut January 21 with the
All-Star Game.  Fox Sports spokesperson Vince Wladika told THE
SPORTS BUSINESS DAILY yesterday that the original marketing plan
will continue. Wladika:  "We have a marketing plan. The plan
itself was a nine month plan, now it just has to be scrunched and
be done in 90 days, or however it is when we first come on the
air."  Wladika said it was doubtful that Fox could begin
promotions this weekend, during the Cowboys/49ers NFC
Championship game, saying "at this late date it doesn't look
optimistic that we would be able to get something on time to put
on the air. ... The whole basic premise on selling the game,
whether its marketing, advertising, promotion, etc. doesn't
change.  That all remains exactly the same as we envisioned it
back in early October and late September. All that marketing
doesn't change. It is still the same sport, it is still the same
players" (THE DAILY).
     OTHER NETWORK NEWS:  In Canada, when the NHL confirms a
schedule, CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada" will get first pick of
coverage, TSN second, and then local deals (Vancouver PROVINCE,
1/12).  Ron Harrison, VP of Molstar Communications, the
production wing for Canadiens rights-holder Molson Breweries,
said sheduling is a "nightmare": "Normally, you'd have the better
part of September to work these things out.  Now, you've got to
deal with all the same problems within a 48-hour time frame"
(Allan Ryan, TORONTO STAR, 1/12).  The No. 1 announcing team for
Fox's hockey telecasts is reportedly Mike Emrick and John
Davidson.  A second team of Sean McDonough, and ex-Islander Denis
Potvin is also a possiblity.  James Brown is "the top candidate"
for studio host (Rudy Martzke, USA TODAY, 1/12).
     A WORD FROM THEIR SPONSORS:  Tony Ponturo, VP of Corporate
and Media Sports Marketing for Anheuser-Busch, one of the NHL's
marketing partners, released the following to THE SPORTS BUSINESS
DAILY:  The settlement "is obviously good news for Anheuser-Busch
and our Bud Ice brand family.  With Bud Ice, we plan...on
following through with the original and complete marketing and
advertising program designed specially for the NHL and, most
importantly, its fans (THE DAILY).  John Helyar notes that A-B
was prepared to build the identity of its new Ice Draft around
being the "official beer of the NHL," but that they were left to
"swallow a lot of NHL pocket schedules and forgo other
promotions" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/12).  CBC Spokesperson Tom
Curzon said major advertisers, such as Molson and Ford Motors of
Canada, have confirmed their ad commitments for the season, but
other sponsors have found "alternative homes" for their dollars.
 McKim Media of Canada will try to negotiate discounts for some
of its clients that advertise on NHL games if audience "levels
dip from historic levels" (Marina Strauss, Toronto GLOBE & MAIL,
1/12).