ABC's coverage of the British Open received a 5.2 overnight
Nielsen rating, up 24% from a year ago. The broadcast "peaked"
at a 7.7. from 2:30-2:45pm EDT, at the end of the Daly-Rocca
playoff. Richard Sandomir writes that ABC got the ratings boost
"despite a decidedly mixed telecast" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/25). On Long
Island, Steve Zipay gives the broadcast good marks (NEWSDAY,
7/25); while in Boston, Jack Craig notes that the BBC's video
feed was "clearly behind [ABC's] standard" (BOSTON GLOBE,
7/25).... Rudy Martzke and Milton Kent both lead with the debut
of Suzyn Waldman last night as the first female announcer to call
a nationally televised major league baseball game. The Baseball
Network Coordinating Producer John Filippelli: "Look, some
people in this business are living in the Stone Age" (USA TODAY,
7/25). Kent calls it "the latest step in a welcome development,
the continuing, but ever so slow advancement of women in sports
broadcasting" (Baltimore SUN, 7/25)....In October, NESN debuts
"Front Page," a 90-minute show featuring news and features on New
England sports (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/25)....MSG Network will be airing
"Giants Today," the 30-minute Giants-produced football preview
show that was previously shown on Fox. The show will air on
Friday nights, with a special one-hour season preview on
Wednesday, August 30 (MSG Network).
