Jeff Gralnick, Exec Producer of "NBC Nightly News," has been
named to head ABC's planned 24-hour news channel. He will be
responsible for content and production (N.Y. TIMES, 2/15)....The
Phoenix Firebirds, the AAA affiliate of the Giants, announced
they have joined up to 30 minor league teams on the Web.
Address: http://primenet.com/~firebirds (Firebirds)...In N.Y.,
WFAN's Mike & the Mad Dog will award use of a KIWI Int'l airplane
for one winner and 129 of their closest friends to go to a Cubs-
Mets game in Chicago (KIWI)....NBC Sports will celebrate Black
History Month with "GMC Presents Stride to Glory," an Olympic
special that chronicles the history of African-Americans in the
Olympic Games. It will run February 24 (NBC Sports)....A Chinese
rocket carrying a TV satellite exploded seconds after its
launching yesterday, "dealing a potential blow to Rupert
Murdoch's ambitions to offer satellite programming in Latin
America." News Corp. and TCI were two of four media companies
that leased space on the satellite, which was to service Latin
America. A News Corp. spokesperson said the accident "would not
hinder the group's plans" to offer news and sports programming to
Latin America and the Caribbean (N.Y. TIMES, 2/15)....The A's
have hired former Angels broadcaster Ken Wilson to do play-by-
play on KRON-TV. Wilson has been the TV voice for the Angels for
five years, and will team with Ray Fosse, who returns as color
analyst (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/14)....Winston Cup driver Dave Marcis,
who signed a full sponsorship deal with Prodigy, is profiled by
Angelique Chengelis of the DETROIT NEWS. With Prodigy's support,
Chengelis has "his first car show, his first motor home and ...
press kit" (DETROIT NEWS, 2/14).
