BROADCASING & CABLE's "In Brief" column reports that
Fox/Liberty Sports' negotiations to acquire Classic Sports
Network have "snagged over disagreements about valuation and
management control" (BROADCASTING & CABLE, 8/11 issue).
...CABLE WORLD's Alan Breznick details MLS' ratings for the
'97 season, as ESPN is averaging a 0.54 through its first
five telecasts, down 17% from '96, and ESPN2 is averaging a
0.25 through ten telecasts, down 36%. Univision has earned
a 4.7 through 12 telecasts, down from '96's overall 5.1
(CABLE WORLD, 8/11 issue)....Ratings for the TWNBA are
featured in ELECTRONIC MEDIA's cover story. ESPN's WNBA
telecasts are drawing a viewership of 61% men and 39% women,
compared to the network's "usual" 70% male viewership.
Lifetime's WNBA audience breakdowns to 58% women and 42%
men. Ogilvy & Mather Supervisor of National Broadcast Chris
Fuller said that since the WNBA "came out of the box with a
lot of hype" it has met "modest expectations" but is "not by
any means a ratings success" (ELECTRONIC MEDIA, 8/11).
