TCI dropped out of the bidding in the FCC's auction of a
coveted satellite TV license after MCI offered $472M. The
bidding "was a big setback" for TCI in their bid to challenge
DirecTV (N.Y. TIMES, 1/25)....New marketing partners for The Golf
Channel include American Airlines and Karsten Manufacturing. TGC
has renewed deals with Titleist, Foot-Joy Worldwide and Izod
(GOULD MEDIA SERVICES).... ELECTRONIC MEDIA's "Insider" notes
much speculation about "how CBS might re-enter the NFL picture."
Rumors range from a deal including all four major broadcast nets
to a "renegade arrangement whereby a network with ... stations in
lots of NFL markets takes a stab at striking rights pacts with
individual teams" (ELECTRONIC MEDIA, 1/22 issue)....TCI
International is "close to a deal" with Sega Enterprises to
launch Sega computer games channels on cable networks all over
Europe (FINANCIAL TIMES, 1/23)....Sports Illustrated's foray into
the Canadian magazine market is analyzed by the Toronto GLOBE &
MAIL. SI will stop their Canadian edition after a court battle
on advertising and Canadian content. SI GM Alvaro Saralegui:
"With hindsight, I wouldn't have bothered to do it, because here
we are being thrown out." The piece notes it is "widely believed
[Time Warner] will sue over lost revenue and try to win an
exemption from the law though the courts, while pursuing a
complaint of unfair trade." Saralegui called it a "temporary
setback" to SI's international plans (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL,
1/23)....Prime Network and the Women's Professional Volleyball
Association have signed a two-year deal to televise eight WPVA
tour events on Prime in '96 and six to ten tournaments in '97
(Prime)....CBS Entertainment President Les Moonves, on his plans
to "save" CBS, given on Letterman's "Late Show": "Figure
skating, morning, noon and night. Nothing but chicks in short
skirts and dudes in sequins spinning around. That crap knocks me
out" (CBS, 1/24).
