HEARST AND ESPN MAY START UP WEEKLY SPORTS MAG

     According to the current issue of NEW YORK magazine, Hearst
and ESPN (in which Hearst has a stake) are looking into starting
a "glitzy new sports magazine.  Talks are well beyond the
preliminary stage; a small staff has been assembled, and mockups
have been produced.  It remains to be seen whether the still-
unnamed magazine will be a weekly or monthly" -- though NEW YORK
reports Hearst and ESPN are leaning toward making it a monthly.
The tone and content "will mirror those of ESPN's sports coverage
-- geared toward those under 35."  John Mack Carter, head of
Magazine Development for Hearst:  "We're talking about a less
clubby atmosphere, faster-moving and more participatory sports.
There won't be the golf coverage that is so important in Sports
Illustrated.  The project is promising, but we're still in the
exploratory stage" ("Intelligencer," NEW YORK, 3/13 issue).
Yesterday's WALL STREET JOURNAL reported that News Corp.'s
periodical division is exploring the launch of its own weekly
sports magazine (See THE DAILY, 3/7).
     SI GETS MAG OF THE YEAR:  AD AGE awarded SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
"Magazine of the Year," calling it "the franchise."  AD AGE sites
the success SI has had in building a brand name as well as from
starting SI FOR KIDS to SITV to SI's new online service on
CompuServe.  AD AGE also lauded SI for its efforts in selling
regional advertising and its custom publishing for sponsors (AD
AGE, 3/6 issue).