IS LIBERTY SPORTS SEEKING CONTROLLING INTEREST IN RAYCOM?

     Raycom Inc. is negotiating a partnership with Liberty
Sports, according to Erik Spanberg in the upcoming issue of the
Charlotte BUSINESS JOURNAL.  The deal would give Liberty Sports
controlling interest of Raycom, according to people close to the
talks.  No terms have been disclosed and both Liberty and Raycom
refused comment.  Raycom is owned by Ellis Communications of
Atlanta; Liberty is the sports programming arm of TCI.
Independent media buyer Steve Auerbach, who has worked with
Microsoft and Miller Brewing: "I've heard the rumors, and it
seems like a logical merger to me.  When you put the largest
cable carrier with an established programmer you have the perfect
match."  If a deal can be struck, it would provide Raycom a "much
larger potential market" for their programming.  Liberty's
interest "stems from the fact that Raycom would give it instant
cache in the competitive network and syndication business"
(Charlotte BUSINESS JOURNAL, 5/8 issue).