NBC's EMC Skills Challenge earned a preliminary overnight
Saturday rating of a 3.4/8. That was an increase of 89% from
'95. Sunday's telecast, against Dallas-San Francisco in most of
the U.S., earned a 3.6/7 rating, up 24% from '95. This was EMC's
first year of title sponsorship (THE DAILY)....The Mariners and
Fox Sports Northwest announced a four-year contract extension to
broadcast Mariners games through 2000. The deal calls for 50-60
games on Fox Northwest each season. As part of the package, Fox
Northwest will broadcast a minimum of one spring training game; a
live 30-minute pre-game show and a one-hour preseason special
(Mariners)....In L.A., Sallie Hofmeister looks at the DBS market.
DirecTV President Eddy Hartenstein says price cuts in the system
"have broadened its appeal," with the average household income of
its subscriber at about $40,000, down from $50,000 (L.A. TIMES,
11/12). Hughes Electronics will set up a new company called
DirecTV Global that will combine "various Latin America and
Japanese ventures, an international division and a technical
support organization" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 11/12).
