European media companies Bertelsmann and Axel Springer
have jointly set up an online sports channel, Sportkanal,
scheduled to debut this summer (AD AGE, 3/14)....In
Philadelphia, WIP GM Tom Bigby is profiled in the
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. Many "radio experts" claim it is
Bigby, with his "ideas and guidance -- his 'guy talk'
formula -- [has] made WIP, controversy notwithstanding, into
the preeminent sports-talk radio station in this country"
(PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 3/16)....ESPN's Mike Lupica, on CBS
moving press seats to have fans in front rows at the NCAA
tournament: "They pretend as if they're not there, but there
are empty seats all over this tournament" ("The Sports
Reporters," 3/16)....Classic Sports Network plans to file a
complaint with the FCC today, charging that Cablevision "is
demanding an ownership share in the network in exchange for
carrying it on Cablevision's television systems." Also,
Classic Sports will oppose the Cablevision/MSG deal before
"all appropriate New York State and federal regulatory
agencies" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/17)....Long Island-based
Sports Eye papers is "considering" buying K-III's Racing
Form. Also, Peterson Publishing "has its eye on" K-III's
Pro Football Weekly (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/17).
