The World Figure Skating Championships on ABC scored a 12.2
overnight rating on Saturday, topping CBS' 8.7 for UMass-
Georgetown. But, Rudy Martzke notes CBS' Thursday ratings were
up 6% to 7.4 and Friday's overnight ratings were up 14% to 6.9
(USA TODAY, 3/25).
TAFOYA BREAKTHROUGH: CBS's Michelle Tafoya became the first
woman to do play-by-play in the NCAA men's basketball tournament
when she spelled Sean McDonough during Saturday's Wake Forest-
Kentucky game. Tafoya worked four minutes of the first half when
McDonough became ill. In Baltimore, Milton Kent applauds
Tafoya's effort and calls for CBS to give her "an expanded
chance" next year (Baltimore SUN, 3/25). Tafoya had worked play-
by-play on CBS' women's hoops coverage (Jack Craig, BOSTON GLOBE,
3/24). In Atlanta, Prentis Rogers reports McDonough returned to
call the end of the first half, but Tafoya "refused to give up
the seat," which "didn't sit too well with McDonough." The two
"worked things out during the intermission" (ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 3/25). In Chicago, Michael Hirsley notes that
"there were a few awkward moments as analyst Bill Raftery
analyzed Tafoya's femininity," but that Tafoya "grabbed the
reigns before it got too silly" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/25).
NEWS & NOTES: Syracuse-Mississippi State will lead off
CBS's Saturday coverage at 5:42pm EST, followed by UMass-Kentucky
at approximately 8:07pm (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/25).... During
yesterday's coverage, CBS' Billy Packer suggested the Final Four
teams be reseeded prior to the semifinals to accurately reflect
the regular season -- rewarding top seeds and making for added
interest (CBS, 3/24).
