Fox's aggressive foray into sports TV is profiled in a
lengthy feature by Sam Donnellon in today's PHILADELPHIA DAILY
NEWS. Fox Sports President David Hill, asked if Fox would ever
try to alter a sports league's structure: "I've always felt
that television should commentate on the game and show it in its
best possible way and work in a partnership with the league. But
I believe our business is broadcasting and the league's business
is running the sports" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 1/19)....Sean
McDonough will not return as the Red Sox's TV announcer next
season because the team's new broadcast outlet has asked him to
take a 60% salary cut. McDonough earned around $300,000 for his
work on WSBK games last year. McDonough also works for CBS
Sports in a contract that pays him $600,000 (Jack Craig, BOSTON
GLOBE, 1/18)....Former A's broadcaster Lon Simmons will announce
25 to 30 games on KTVU next season for the Giants. The A's
didn't renew the 72-year-old Simmons' contract at the end of last
season (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 1/19)....Veteran CBS producer
Frank Chirkinian's golf schedule has been "pared down to eight
tournaments this year," while his '97 schedule is "undetermined."
CBS Sports President David Kenin said Chirkinian fought it, "but
we needed to do a planned sharing of his responsibilities"
(Richard Sandomir, N.Y. TIMES, 1/19)....NBC Sports has signed
golf analyst Johnny Miller to a five-year extension (USA TODAY,
1/19)....CNBC President Roger Ailes resigned yesterday from the
NBC-owned network. He will be succeeded by William Bolster,
President and GM of NBC-owned WNBC-TV (WALL STREET JOURNAL,
1/19)....The Tribune Co. completed its $95M purchase of Houston
station KHTV from Nashville-based Gaylord Entertainment. KHTV is
an affiliate of Time Warner's WB Network, of which Tribune holds
a minority stake (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/19)....For the first time,
Super Bowl play-by-play will be broadcast in the Navajo language.
KTTN-AM in Arizona is expected to broadcast the game to 250,000
or more people (ARIZONA DAILY STAR, 1/19)....TNT will premiere
"The Super Bowl at 30: Big Game America," an hour-long special
from NFL Films and the Turner Network, on Monday at 8pm ET
(PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 1/18).
