The overnight ratings for CBS' coverage of the final round
of The Masters were the highest for a golf event on TV since '90.
The 9.6 preliminary rating and the 21 share were up 4% from last
year's 9.2/20. CBS noted that last year's overnights yielded a
9.8 national rating (CBS Sports). CBS Exec Producer Rick Gentile
and CBS Sports President David Kenin defended the network's
coverage after Monday criticism that they ignored mentioning Greg
Norman's collapse, with some floating fear of losing the contract
with Augusta as a possible reason. Kenin: "This was natural
drama that played itself out that pictures showed with natural
eloquence. For us to overdo it with too many words would have
been a mistake" (Rudy Martzke, USA TODAY, 4/16). NEWSDAY's Steve
Zipay also resists the initial criticisms of CBS' announcing
team. He writes, "Viewers didn't need wise guys, they didn't
need to be beaten over the head: They saw what was unfolding by
the 12th hole" (NEWSDAY, 4/16).
LOCAL ANGLE: In a first for The Golf Channel, Augusta's
WRDW-TV carried "Golf Central," TGC's half-hour news program,
during late night for the week of The Masters. The deal involved
no money (BROADCASTING & CABLE, 4/15).
