EBERSOL REASSURES OLYMPIC EXECS THAT AD SALES ARE STRONG

          NBC's ad sales for the 2000 Summer Games have totaled
     about $600M so far and have "exceeded those" for Atlanta in
     '96 "despite the time delay of broadcasting" from Australia,
     according to Linda Fantin of the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE.  NBC
     Sports Chair Dick Ebersol said that ad time for the 2002
     Games is "significantly sold" and added, "I really mean it
     when I say we haven't been touched by [the bid-city
     scandals].  The media buyers ... focus in on what the public
     wants to watch, and they want to watch the athletes and
     competition."  Meanwhile, the SLOC must still raise $160M to
     "close its budget gap" (S.L. TRIBUNE, 10/25).  Ebersol said
     that 440 hours of coverage of the 2000 Games will be
     available on NBC, MSNBC and CNBC and that the cable entities
     will be responsible for 270 hours of coverage and "focus on
     lower-profile sports" (USA TODAY, 10/25).