2002 OPENING CEREMONIES MAY MOVE TO A FRIDAY NIGHT

     The 2002 Games could last a day longer under a proposal to
hold the opening ceremonies on a Friday instead of a Saturday to
boost weekend TV ratings, according to the DESERET NEWS.  Salt
Lake Olympic Organizing Committee Senior VP Dave Johnson said
they are "going for viewership." The request for the additional
day of programming initially came from NBC which paid $545M for
the right to broadcast the Salt Lake Games.  Johnson said
extending the Games by one day will make it easier to accommodate
new sports and noted that while it will cost more by extending
the Games, the cost won't be "significant."  The IOC will have to
approve the new schedule (Lisa Riley Roche, DESERET NEWS, 1/20).