BROADCAST NEWS: ABC, CBS AND COLLEGE BOWLS; FOX AFFILIATES

     CBS and ABC are making "early pitches" for their potential
college football championship games, which begin next January on
CBS with the Dial Fiesta Bowl, according to Eric Schmuckler in
the current issue of MEDIAWEEK.  CBS is said to be asking
$500,000 per ad unit, nearly double the top unit price this year
-- the Orange Bowl's $275,000.  CBS is looking to lure autos,
beers and athletic shoes into the Fiesta, as well as the
network's regular-season college football package.  "Several
buyers last week scoffed at the rumored $500,000 asking price for
the potential championship game, predicting it would pull a 22 or
23 rating and merited $400,000-per-unit, tops."  ABC, which will
have the potential national championship game with the '97 Nokia
Sugar Bowl, "is floating some three-year packages" including its
Rose and Citrus Bowls (MEDIAWEEK, 3/6 issue).
     FOX AFFILS:  Affiliate switches helped Fox during the
February sweeps in five of seven markets where New World
Communications has stations, according to Jon Lafayette in the
current issue of ELECTRONIC MEDIA.  New World said its local
news-driven program strategy showed gains at nearly all its
stations.  In the seven New World markets, Fox's prime time
ratings rose an average of 14% to a 7.6.  Nationally, NBC earned
its first February sweeps victory in five years, leading in all
key demographics, and "leaving it anxious to take on ABC for the
top-ranked network spot next season" (ELECTRONIC MEDIA, 3/6
issue).