TV MONITOR: Last night's 11:00pm ET editions of ESPN's
"SportsCenter," FSN's "Primetime" and CNN/SI's "Sports
Tonight" all led with Blazers-Jazz. "SportsCenter" followed
with Pacers-Heat, while "Primetime" and "Sports Tonight"
both followed with Lakers-Mavericks. The first non-NBA
story on "SportsCenter," at 7:17 into the broadcast,
"Primetime" (4:59) and "Sports Tonight" (4:32) was an update
on the injuries facing the Cowboys. The first NHL story on
"SportsCenter," at 20:22, was Sharks-Canucks. The first NHL
report on "Primetime," at 34:43, was the Senators suspending
holdout C Alexei Yashin (#14) and the first NHL report on
"Sports Tonight," at 26:00, was Flyers-Devils (THE DAILY).
NOTES: PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said that new
TV agreements for the Senior PGA Tour "expected to start in
2001 ... might blend Internet connections that could have
fans swinging in cyberspace against" Hale Irwin and Bruce
Fleisher (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/9)....Under the "Stuff We
Like" section, BRILL'S CONTENT's Matthew Reed Baker writes
that ESPN's "Outside the Lines" goes "beyond superstars and
individual sports scandals to examine larger issues with a
sober eye. ... Even non-sports fans should keep a look out
for its coverage of sensitive issues that avoids
sensationalism" (BRILL'S CONTENT, 11/99 issue)....PVI has
signed a multiyear deal with CBS News "to provide virtual
branding" for "The Early Show" and other CBS News properties
(BROADCASTING & CABLE, 11/4)....In L.A., Helene Elliott
reviewed Wayne Gretzky's new Total Sports book co-written
with John Davidson and called it a "terrific coffee table
book and a well-crafted work overall" (L.A. TIMES, 11/9).
DID SHOW KICK BASS? In Baltimore, Milton Kent writes
that Fox's telecast of the Ranger M1 Millennium Bass
Tournament Sunday was a "noble attempt." Kent: "Fox was
caught in tough netting, having to balance the presentation
of a new sport -- at least for network television -- with
keeping the experienced outdoorsmen happy" (Baltimore SUN,
11/10). In Chicago, outdoor sports columnist John Husar
criticizes Fox for relegating the show in the Chicago market
to a "tape-delayed broadcast" at 11:00pm. Husar: "Some
breakthrough for the competitive side of this sport.
'Midwest Outdoors' easily captures a bigger audience. ...
[In Chicago], Fox chickened out" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/10).
