NBC Sports President Dick Ebersol has signed a new agreement
to continue in his position through 2004, according to an
announcement yesterday by NBC President & CEO Robert Wright at
the network's affiliate meeting in Phoenix. Wright: "Through
his diligent attention to nurturing relationships with our
business partners, and establishing economically sound, long-term
business partnerships, Dick has defined NBC Sports both now and
into the next century" (NBC Sports). Ebersol told the N.Y.
TIMES: "There are not many as crazy nuts about their job as I
am. I don't have any ambition to do anything else." Ebersol
said he thought of signing a shorter deal, but added, "They've
really risked a lot based on my sense of what the Olympics are
worth going out 12 years" (Richard Sandomir, N.Y. TIMES, 5/23).
No financial details were available, but Ebersol "joked that he
makes more than the president and less than Michael Jordan." The
WASHINGTON POST's John Carmody estimated his salary in the "mid-
six-figure range," adding that GE stock options are available to
"successful" NBC execs (WASHINGTON POST, 5/23). It is possible
Ebersol could remain at NBC for the 2006 and 2008 Olympics (Rudy
Martzke, USA TODAY, 5/23). The deal is "the longest-ever" at NBC
(Gail Shister, PHILA. INQUIRER, 5/23).
DIVER DOWN: NBC has decided to go with Cynthia Potter as
analyst for its Olympic diving coverage over gold medalist Greg
Louganis, according to Neal Travis of the N.Y. POST. Travis
notes the decision is "widely perceived as based on [Louganis]
being HIV positive." Louganis: "I'm pretty disappointed." An
NBC spokesperson "did not directly address the issue of Louganis
and the AIDS virus," according to Travis, but did say of Potter:
"She's the best in the field, with wide TV experience." Louganis
will be in Atlanta on behalf of Speedo (N.Y. POST, 5/23).
MORE PEACOCK PREENING: NBC has agreed to buy two of its
affiliates -- KNSD-TV in San Diego and WVTM-TV Birmingham, AL --
from New World Communications for $425M ("Moneyline," CNN, 5/22).
The deal will leave New World focused on its 10 Fox-affiliated
stations (THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 5/23). The deal raises NBC's
number of owned-and-operated stations from nine to eleven
covering 25.1% of TV homes in the U.S. (WALL STREET JOURNAL,
5/23).
