NBC SELLS OFF ITS SHARE OF SPORTSCHANNEL NEW YORK

     NBC has sold its half-ownership in SportsChannel New York to
their partner Rainbow Programming Holdings.  The network sold its
share for approximately $93M, according to Rich Brown of
BROADCASTING & CABLE.  NBC and Rainbow will continue to partner
in such programming ventures as NewSport, Prime SportsChannel
Network, and other regional sports channels.  NBC Cable and
Business Development Exec VP Tom Rogers said that "owning a piece
of SportsChannel New York made less sense" to NBC following
Cablevision's purchase with ITT of SportsChannel's competing
regional sports service, Madison Square Garden Network.  NBC had
"passed" on earlier opportunities to join Cablevision and ITT in
the MSG purchase.  Rogers:  "We already have a huge news and
sports presence in the New York market" (Rich Brown, BROADCASTING
& CABLE, 4/24 issue).