Fox Sports received a 3.8 overnight rating for Fox
Baseball's first broadcast Saturday.  CBS averaged a 3.6 for its
Saturday games in '93 -- the last season that a "Game of the
Week" was aired (THE DAILY).
     REVIEWS:  NEWSDAY's Steve Zipay writes the pre-game show was
a "marshmallow" for avoiding mention of the latest Albert Belle
incident.  Fox said clips of Belle's forearm were seen in the
early broadcast aired in most of the U.S.  Zipay added, "For the
concerned traditionalists, it looked like regular baseball"
(NEWSDAY, 6/3).  Noting black-and-white newsreel footage, the
piece on scientific study of the baseball and early mentions of
the Belle incident, Phil Mushnick writes, "That's journalism,
whether Fox likes it or not" (N.Y. POST, 6/3).  Also in New York,
Richard Sandomir writes, "Fundamentally, Fox baseball looked
remarkably like baseball" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/3).  In Atlanta, Prentis
Rogers writes, "For the most part, Fox did not look like a rookie
covering baseball" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 6/3).  In Chicago,
Michael Hirsley notes, "Aside from the clever 'diamond' graphic,
using dots to show how many and where runners were on base, Fox's
initial live game telecast was competent but uninspired" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 6/3).  USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke writes that the
broadcasts did not match the "hype," with game coverage at "the
norm" (USA TODAY, 6/3).

     In Boston, Jack Craig examines the "nasty in-house dispute"
among NESN's partners -- the Red Sox and Bruins vs. WSBK -- over
the future of the regional sports network.  Craig writes, "The
issue is money, and indirectly, how quickly and how far NESN will
move from a pay to a basic channel."  One observer believes the
legal action taken by the teams may lead to talks on a buyout of
WSBK's 20% share (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/2)....In New York, Bob Raissman
reports WPIX does not want to part with the Yankees, headed for
MSG's new WBIS+.  Also, the Nets will soon sign a new radio deal
with WOR-AM (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/2)....The N.Y. TIMES' Bill Carter
examines the networks' battles to gain cable access for their new
all-news channels.  NBC is threatening to pull network
programming -- including the Olympics -- from any operator that
refuses to carry MSNBC in place of America's Talking (N.Y. TIMES,
6/3).

     In Denver, Dusty Saunders previews the schedules of NHL
Stanley Cup Finals coverage from Fox and ESPN and reports that
both networks "are voicing enthusiasm -- at least publicly --
about having Colorado [in the finals]."  Fox Sports' Vince
Wladika:  "It's good to have new blood in the championship
series, particularly since the hockey world knows the Avalanche
has been playing so well."  ESPN's Bob Clement noted the team's
"aggressive" style and "recognizable stars" -- saying that will
add up to strong "viewership value" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 6/2).
The CBC's John Shannon, Exec Producer of "Hockey Night in
Canada," said before Florida's Game 7 win that it was 50-50 on
which team would be a better match with the Avalanche.  Shannon
did note that the enthusiasm in Denver and Miami has been
"tremendous" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 6/1).
     NEWS & NOTES:  SportsChannel Pacific will carry Game 1 of
the Stanley Cup Finals in the Bay Area tomorrow since San
Francisco's Fox affiliate, KTVU, has a programming conflict
(SportsChannel Pacific)....The NHL and CBC are teaming up for a
"cybercast" of finals' games at the CBC's Web site at
http://www.nhl.com/cbc/cup (CBC)....Prior to yesterday's Jazz-
Sonics game, NBC's Ed Markey compared the eventual winner to
Houston in '94.  Markey, on the Rockets:  "They were talented,
but not a big marquee-type team.  Then people discovered Hakeem
Olajuwon, and Houston got a bit of a national following" (ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 6/1).
     OFF-THE-COURT ACTION:  In Chicago, Fred Mitchell notes that,
before the Bulls start their series Wednesday, oral arguments
will be heard in the antitrust case between team ownership and
WGN against the NBA.  The NBA has appealed both the January '95
and August '95 decisions allowing the Bulls to show 25 games on
WGN-TV.  The league wants to reduce superstation broadcasts to 20
(CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/3).