The opening night of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog
Show on USA Network received a 3.7 cable rating, which
topped ESPN's ESPY Awards, which earned a 2.9 (NEWSDAY,
2/14)....Magic Johnson is "finalizing an overall deal" to
produce films at Fox. Although the deal is "considered a
slam dunk," Fox will not comment until the paperwork is
finished. Johnson expects to be based at Fox Family Films
(DAILY VARIETY, 2/13)....In N.Y., Benza & Lewittes report
that SI's new swimsuit editor, Elanie Farley, was looking to
do something different for her first issue and "nearly" put
Steffi Graf on the cover instead of model Eve Herzigova
(N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/14)....ABC will increase its boxing
programming "as one method of rejuvenating" its "Wide World
of Sports." ABC will televise the first female pro fight on
broadcast TV next month (USA TODAY, 2/14)....NBC's Bob
Costas, who is about to take a six month break from TV work,
said he and Don Ohlmeyer at NBC "had some serious talks
about the viability of a sports-themed '60 Minutes'-type
show in prime-time. The conclusion seemed to be that it
could only work ratings-wise on a network if that network
had exceptionally strong lead-in sports programming. The
idea's not dead" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/14)....Anaheim Sports
Enterprises President Tony Tavares, on a CA judge allowing
Fox Sports to continue showing Mighty Ducks games on Fox
Sports West 2: "Temporary restraining orders are seldom
granted. It's not a big surprise. It was a legal shot in
the dark" (L.A. TIMES, 2/14).
