NFL: In Miami, Barry Jackson writes that ABC would make
"a huge mistake" by replacing Dan Dierdorf with Sterling
Sharpe, as Dierdorf is an "articulate voice of reason."
Jackson also reports that "a source close" to NBC's Dick
Enberg says that he "misses" the NFL and "would consider
moving to CBS or Fox in another year" (MIAMI HERALD, 1/11).
...CBS TV President & CEO Les Moonves said that the network
"expects to turn a profit next year" on their NFL deal.
Moonves, on the impact of NFL programming: "I don't think
it's any coincidence that we're up and NBC is down" (DETROIT
FREE PRESS, 1/11). Moonves defended the net's decision not
to pre-empt last month's Jets-Bills game for the House
impeachment hearings because viewers "could get [the
impeachment] on NBC, ABC, CNN, C-SPAN, PBS." Moonves noted
the pre-emption would have cost CBS "tens of millions of
dollars" and because the network didn't interrupt, "its NFL
coverage broke even" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/11)....In Atlanta,
Prentis Rogers calls CBS's Randy Cross "the most colorful
analyst in football" (1/11)....Mark Champion, the Lions
play-by-play announcer for WXYT-Detroit, has agreed to a
two-year contract extension (DETROIT NEWS, 1/10).
NOTES: More than 175 media reps from 22 states will be
in Charlotte today for the Charlotte Motor Speedway's annual
media tour (THE DAILY)....In Pittsburgh, Dejan Kovacevic
writes the Penguins are the "only NHL team" without its own
active web site. Despite the team's "shortage of money,"
club officials "hope to have that situation remedied later
this month" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 1/10).
