NETWORK RIGHTS DEALS: Pilson Communications President
Neil Pilson, on the NFL TV rights negotiations in light of
the NBA doubling its fees: "The N.F.L. can now take the
position fees must double, and if the incumbents don't --
and I can't imagine they will -- CBS can step in. If CBS
doubles, they're in. If they don't, they'll have set a
market price" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/18). TCI President Leo
Hindery, on Turner Sports paying $890M for the NBA package:
"It's an enormous disappointment that they just doubled up
and hunkered down. It's unfriendly to customers. Nothing
should be double. It's just wrong" (MEDIAWEEK, 11/17).
NOTES: The A's reached a two-year deal with KNEW-AM,
which last announced their games in '93 (S.F. CHRONICLE,
11/18)....One-On-One Sports launched its live, 24-hour
sports programming on 1210-AM in Miami. Former Paxson
Sports President Bob Snyder will serve as the station's
Interim GM, overseeing start-up (One-On-One)....In Houston,
KTXH-TV got its two biggest Rockets ratings of the year with
Friday's 12.0/19 for the Rockets-Lakers and Sunday's 11.4/15
for the Rockets-Suns. But both numbers "are down from the
corresponding period" in '96 (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/18).
