Marv Albert's "accuser spent more than four hours on
the witness stand yesterday, first recounting the decade-
long sexual relationship she had with the New York
sportscasting legend and then defending herself under a
blistering cross-examination by defense attorney Roy Black,"
according to Steve Zipay of NEWSDAY. The prosecution
expects to call nine more witnesses and Albert's defense
"could begin with his testimony today or tomorrow" (NEWSDAY,
9/24). In Washington, Masters & Stadtmiller report that
Albert's attorney's "portrayed his accuser ... as a lying
opportunist, playing a tape that they said caught her
agreeing to give $50,000 and a new car to a witness to
corroborate part of her story of a sexual assault by the NBC
sportscaster" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/24).
CAREER PATH: The "buzzer has sounded on Marv Albert's
career," according to "experts" questioned by Tracy Connor
of the N.Y. POST. Al Primo, former News Dir of NY's WABC-
TV: "This is not someone you want to wrap the peacock's arm
around." Connor: "Albert's camp fears that NBA Commissioner
David Stern, considered to be a conservative, could pressure
the NBC and MSG networks into dropping him from their
telecasts." Even if Albert is acquitted, "the damage may be
insurmountable." Media consultant Anthony Mora: "No one
will ever think of Marv Albert the way they thought of him a
year ago" (N.Y. POST, 9/24). But BBDO's Steve Grubbs feels
advertisers will stay with Albert if he is acquitted: "As an
advertiser, I can't imagine anyone shying away from buying
the NBA because Marv's broadcasting the games" (USA TODAY,
9/24). In N.Y., Wallace Matthews writes under the header,
"Virginia Prosecutor Deliberately Destroying Albert's Life."
Matthews: "[W]ho will restore Marv Albert's dignity? Who
will rehabilitate his reputation?" (N.Y. POST, 9/24).
TV COVERAGE: "NBC Nightly News" covered the Albert
trial six minutes into its telecast, referring to him as
"sportscaster," dropping the NBC affiliation it used Monday
evening. The story lasted two minutes ("NBC Nightly News,"
NBC, 9/23). ABC's "World News Tonight" did not report on
Tuesday's events at the Albert trial ("World News Tonight,"
ABC, 9/23). "CBS Evening News" did not report on the Albert
trial for the second consecutive night ("CBS Evening News,"
CBS, 9/23). A CBS News spokesperson: "We just have decided
not to report the story yet" (N.Y. POST, 9/24). NBC's
"Dateline" had a feature on the trial titled, "He Said, She
Said." NBC's John Hockenberry, on media coverage of the
trial: "All this has been front-page news -- an old-
fashioned feeding frenzy for the tabloids and on cable. To
some it seems like it's been all-Marv, all-the-time."
Hockenberry: "The bigger verdict in this case may come from
the larger jury of sports fans" ("Dateline," NBC, 9/23).
SPORTS: ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" opened with
the Albert trial, with Sal Paolantonio giving a 90-second
report on Tuesday's events (ESPN, 9/23). CNN/SI's Nick
Charles filed a report from VA six minutes into its 11:00pm
ET telecast. The three-minute story featured a Q&A with SI
legal analyst Lester Munson ("CNN/SI," 9/23).
ENTERTAINMENT SHOWS: CNN's "Showbiz Today" led its
telecast with a 30-second report on the Albert trial
("Showbiz Today," CNN, 9/23). "Extra" opened its show with
a four-minute report on Albert and his fiance, freelance TV
producer, Heather Faulkiner ("Extra," 9/23).
