Frank Deford is returning to Sports Illustrated as a
     special contributor beginning March 1.  Deford, a six-time
     National Sportswriter of the Year, wrote for SI for 27 years
     before leaving in 1989.   Deford will continue to serve as a
     commentator for HBO's "Real Sports" and NPR (SI).  
          APOLOGY ACCEPTED: In N.Y., Keith Kelly reports that
     Deford's return to SI "ends a high-stakes bidding war"
     between SI, ESPN Magazine and Newsweek, where Deford
     finishes a two-year deal next month.  Deford returns to SI
     after "a highly unusual move" in which Time Inc. Editor-in-
     Chief Norman Pearlstine "apologized to Deford for statements
     made by some company officials back" in '89 when Deford left
     SI for The National.  Deford received the apology letter
     from Pearlstine in December.  Deford: "I needed this kind of
     letter to consider going back."  Kelly reports that Deford
     will do a minimum of three long-form stories per year and
     will also make speeches and promotional appearances for SI. 
     Kelly's industry sources "estimated the deal at about
     $150,000 to $200,000 per year" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/9).

          RATINGS: In Milwaukee, Bob Wolfley reports that Packers
     games in the area received an average rating of 49.8 per
     game -- more than four points higher than the 45.5 last
     season.  The number means that 33,660 more households, on
     the average, watched games following the team's '96 Super
     Bowl win (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 1/9)....In Houston, David Barron
     reports that the Rockets-Raptors game on Monday did a 6.7/9
     -- the lowest Rockets rating since a January '95 game. 
     Tuesday's Rockets-Cavs did an 8.6/12, which Barron called a
     "marked improvement," but still lower than "all but two
     Rockets games last season" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/9).
          NOTES: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "refused" to run an
     anti-Steelers ad in its Friday edition.  The "aggressive,
     adult oriented 'Go Broncos' ad" was designed by KBPI-FM in
     Denver.  The ad "invited Steeler fans to call" the morning
     show on KBPI "and admit they are losers."  KBPI has agreed
     to let the Post-Gazette edit the ad and run "a more
     conservative" spot (KBPI)....ESPN and the distributors of
     the "ESPN Full Court" college basketball package are
     offering subscribers a free preview on January 31 and
     February 1, in conjunction with late-season suggested retail
     pricing of $49 for the rest of the season (ESPN). 

          MSG Radio Network "is launching its first non-event
     radio programming," as WABC-AM in N.Y. will air "Sunday
     Night Sports Talk With John Sterling and Michael Kay" from
     6:00-9:00pm on Sundays, according to Phil Mushnick of the
     N.Y. POST.  Sterling and Kay are the Yankees' radio voices. 
     Mushnick adds that it "is becoming a foregone conclusion
     that after next season, when WFAN's deal to carry Knick and
     Ranger games expires, those broadcasts will be carried over
     the MSG Radio Network.  Whether MSG continues to buy time
     from another station, or purchases a station for its own
     remains to be seen" (Phil Mushnick, N.Y. POST, 1/9).

          During meetings of the NFL TV committee in the past few
     days, "each of the incumbents (ABC, Fox, NBC, ESPN and
     Turner) received proposals from the league seeking
     substantial increases in rights fees," according to sources
     of NEWSDAY's Steve Zipay.  Zipay's "league source" said, "If
     they [the networks] meet the numbers -- and they're expected
     to -- (the negotiations are) over."  One senior network
     exec, who requested anonymity, said that there was "more
     than a 50-50 chance of an announcement" before next Friday. 
     Zipay writes that a deal could be announced "possibly as
     early as next Tuesday" (NEWSDAY, 1/9).  USA TODAY's Rudy
     Martzke reports that a deal could be finalized "as early as
     Wednesday."  He writes the league "is expected" to see "an
     increase of as much as 63%-64%," from $1.1B to $1.8B per
     year.  He adds that ABC's "Monday Night Football" could see
     the largest increase, up 97%, to $450M per (USA TODAY, 1/9).

          Earlier this week, THE DAILY listed the top ten most
     watched TV programs in prime time in '97, according to
     Nielsen Media.  Today, we give you the top ten most watched
     programs of the year.  NOTE: The DAL-CAR and PIT-NE
     telecasts were divisional playoff games (THE DAILY). 


  
 
    
PROGRAM
    
NET
    
DATE
    
RAT
    

    
 
      
PROGRAM
    
    
NET
    
DATE
    
RAT
  
  
 
    
Super 
      Bowl XXXI
    
 
      
Fox
    
    
 
      
1/26
    
    
 
      
43.3
    
    
NFL:DAL-CAR
    
 
      
Fox
    
    
 
      
1/5
    
    
 
      
27.6
    
  
  
 
    
S. Bowl 
      Kickoff
    
 
      
Fox
    
    
 
      
1/26
    
    
 
      
33.8
    
    
Academy Awards
    
 
      
ABC
    
    
 
      
3/24
    
    
 
      
27.4
    
  
  
 
    
NFC Championship
    
 
      
Fox
    
    
 
      
1/12
    
    
 
      
30.1
    
    
Wo. Series Gm 7
    
 
      
NBC
    
    
 
      
10/26
    
    
 
      
24.5
    
  
  
 
    
S. Bowl 
      Post-Game
    
 
      
Fox
    
    
 
      
1/26
    
    
 
      
29.8
    
    
NFL: PIT-NE
    
 
      
NBC
    
    
 
      
1/5
    
    
 
      
21.2
    
  
  
 
    
AFC Championship
    
 
      
NBC
    
    
 
      
1/12
    
    
 
      
28.5
    
    
NBA Finals Gm 5
    
 
      
NBC
    
    
 
      
6/11
    
    
 
      
20.1
    
  

        
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