Former Red Sox manager Kevin Kennedy has interviewed at
ESPN for a baseball analyst job (NEWSDAY, 1/28)....TCI will
place four networks, including USA Network and ESPN2, on
"migrated product tiers" in systems serving some 2.5 million
subscribers March 1. While no price has been set for the
tier, sources indicate it will be in the $1.50-$2 range
(CABLE WORLD, 1/27 issue)....In N.Y., Mark Robichaux reports
that Walt Disney Co. has agreed to put up $321M in a joint
venture with Comcast Corp. to buy control of E!
Entertainment TV from Time Warner Inc. (WALL STREET JOURNAL,
1/28). Hettrick & Collier note sources at Disney who said
no changes are planned in the format of E! (HOLLYWOOD
REPORTER, 1/28)....Fox, fX and DirecTV will be the U.S.
telecast partners for the '97 World League season for the
second consecutive year (fX)....In Toronto, columnist
William Houston, on the drop in Fox's NHL All-Star game
ratings this year: "Critics say Fox Sports cannot expect a
high audience figure until it begins covering the NHL from
the start of the season. The network begins its coverage
with the all-star game" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 1/28).