CNN/SI held a news conference yesterday in which they
revealed details of its all-sports network debuting December 12.
CNN/SI Exec Jim Walton and CNN/SI Managing Editor Steve Robinson
said CNN/SI will air original programming each day at 7:00am ET,
with five-minute updates at the top and bottom of each hour for
at least 19 hours a day. CNN will also simulcast CNN/SI's half-
hour studio show at 11:00pm ET and 1:30am ET, Monday-Friday and
three times on the weekend. The show will replace "Sports
Tonight," but continue to feature anchors Nick Charles and Fred
Hickman (THE DAILY). In Baltimore, Milton Kent writes without
mentioning ESPNEWS, CNN/SI officials "made it clear their all-
sports news channel will be far different" from their competitor.
Robinson and Walton stressed that CNN/SI will not necessarily be
highlights-driven, but will rely on CNN's outreach and reporting
resources of SI to "tell stories and analyze news throughout the
day" (Baltimore SUN, 11/14).
ACCESS: CNN/SI has deals to supply programming to 2.5
million satellite dish owners and Tim Johnson, CEO of CNN News
Group, said there "are already cable systems committed" to the
network. NEWSDAY's Steve Zipay notes neither Time Warner Cable
in NYC nor Cablevision Long Island will carry CNN/SI at launch
(NEWSDAY, 11/14). In Atlanta, Charles Haddad notes "the lack of
cable distribution didn't bother" Time Warner Chair Gerald Levin.
Levin: "I'm absolutely convinced this is a good idea. We're in
this for keeps. There's no question that consumers have a
significant appetite for sports news" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION,
11/14).
ADVERTISERS: Thirteen advertisers have been signed for the
December 12 launch, according to AD AGE. GM and LCI Int'l have
signed 52-week commitments that provide for every other hour
segments throughout the 24-hour day. Other charter advertisers:
AmEx, Chrysler Corp., Circuit City, Corona Beer, Delta Air,
Johnson & Johnson, Mercedes-Benz, Logo Athletics, Minolta,
Panasonic, and Thrifty Car Rentals. Larry Goodman, TBS President
of Sales/Marketing, said no package deals have been signed to
include both the magazine and network, but that "exploratory
discussions are underway with several undisclosed marketers" (AD
AGE, 11/14).
UP EARLY, UP LATE: CNN's international "World Sports" will
air in the U.S. at 5:30am and 2:30am. Also, CNN/SI said it will
offer the "most comprehensive sports ticker in sports TV"
(Michael Hiestand, USA TODAY, 11/14).
IN THE BIG CHAIRS: Anchors named for CNN/SI: Steve
Bartelstein, who comes from KGW-TV in Portland, OR; Steve
Berthiaume, who was at WTIC-TV in Hartford, CT; Justin Farmer,
who anchor at WPTV-TV in West Palm Beach, FL; Eric Goodman, from
WKBW-TV in Buffalo, NY; and Chris Rose , who was anchor at KRNV-
TV in Reno, NV (CNN/SI).
