GE reports that its NBC unit had "its largest revenue growth
spurt" in the second quarter since GE acquired NBC in '86. GE
doesn't release specific figures for its businesses, but the
company did say that NBC experienced "double-digit earnings
growth" over the second quarter in '94 (WALL STREET JOURNAL,
7/20)....CRAIN'S NEW YORK BUSINESS examines WFAN's ability to
grow despite the sports world's labor problems. WFAN's ads
revenues are ahead of last year, and industry analysts are
projecting an 8% jump over last year with final totals to hit
$40M for '95. While WFAN GM Joel Hollander says the station
would have been stronger without the strikes, morning talker Don
Imus is credited as the "main force" behind The FAN's success
(Frederick Gabriel, CRAIN'S NEW YORK BUSINESS, 7/17
issue)....This month's ESQUIRE profiles Howard Stringer and his
Tele-TV interactive TV venture with the Baby Bells (ESQUIRE,
8/95). ....The leaders of the three largest on-line services took
their message to Washington that Microsoft should be restricted
in having its upcoming service, The Microsoft Network, on all
versions of Windows 95 (Mult., 7/20). Meanwhile, Microsoft
announced that MSN will have an Internet site at
http://www.msn.com (USA TODAY, 7/20)....MLB reports that 25% of
Japanese TV households tuned into the live morning broadcast of
the All-Star Game, "making it one of the most watched North
American team sporting events ever in Japan (MLB)....Q 107, the
Toronto FM station which recently gained the four-year rights to
the Maple Leafs for C$1.1M a season, plans a "cool rock 'n roll
style" for the games. According to station rep Danny Kingsbury,
Q 107 will employ stereo sound from microphones closer to the ice
(TORONTO SUN, 7/20)....Pay TV operator FilmNet will "remodel" its
second Dutch Channel into an all-sports format, called SuperSport
(VARIETY, 7/17-23)....GOLF DIGEST and GolfWeb, called "the most
popular golf spot on the Internet," will join forces to create a
golf info service on the Web. GOLF DIGEST will provide
additional content to GolfWeb, including articles, news from GOLF
WORLD, ranking of courses, etc. The new info is located at
Goldweb's site: http://www.golfweb.com (Golf Digest)....One of
the seven main area's on Molson's "I Am Online" site is called
"Hockey Net in Canada," with stats and a hockey pool. Address:
http://www.molson.com/Canadian (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 7/20).
