CBS FACES SOME STIFF COMPETITION: MUST SEE TV, SKATING

     CBS's Thursday NCAA coverage will face NBC's top-rated
Thursday prime-time lineup and the World Figure Skating
Championships on ABC.  In Atlanta, Prentis Rogers notes ABC's
decision to match figure skating against the hoops could have a
"significant impact" on CBS' ratings (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION,
3/20).  In 1994, NBC carried the skating head-to-head with the
NCAA on CBS, beating basketball with a 10.4 rating, compared with
CBS's 8.5 (USA TODAY, 3/20).
     ZERO-FOR-THE BIG TEN:  Rogers notes another potential
ratings problem lies with the failure of the Big Ten to advance
any teams to the Sweet 16, since those schools "command 25
percent of the home market."  CBS' Len DeLuca hopes the Big Ten's
absence will be nullified by the 7 teams left from the ACC and
Big East (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 3/20).