TV MONITOR: Last night's 10:00pm ET edition of FSN's
"Fox Sports News" led with Dodgers-Giants, followed by
Mariners-Tigers, highlighted by the openings of Pac Bell
Park and Comerica Park. The first non-MLB report, at 7:42
into the broadcast, was a proposed trade of Jets WR Keyshawn
Johnson to the Buccaneers for two first-round draft picks.
The first NFL Draft report came at 25:52 for a total of 5:37
of NFL coverage. Last night's 11:00pm ET 30-minute edition
of CNN/SI's "Sports Tonight" led with an update on the
allegations of abuse levied against IN Univ. men's
basketball coach Bob Knight, followed by Dodgers-Giants and
Mariners-Tigers. The first NFL Draft report came at 21:01,
and CNN/SI had a total of 3:54 of NFL coverage. Last
night's 11:00pm ET 60-minute edition of ESPN's
"SportsCenter" led with Dodgers-Giants, followed by
Mariners-Tigers. The first non-MLB report, at 28:37, was
Spurs-Kings. The first NFL Draft report came at 28:37, and
ESPN had a total of 8:20 of NFL coverage (THE DAILY).
EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE FOR CNN/SI: In Boston, Howard Manly
notes that CNN/SI "had a legitimate exclusive" last night
with video that showed Knight "grabbing a player by the
throat" during a '97 practice (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/12).
IT'S ALL IN THE NAME: The 10:00pm ET "Fox Sports News"
will be renamed "The National Sports Report," effective
tonight. The revamped show will include more opinion-
oriented and conversational features. Meanwhile, FSN will
call its planned regional news programs that are set to
debut this summer, "The Regional Sports Report" (FSN).
ALL IN GOOD COMPANY? In Toronto, Chris Zelkovich notes
the 452 applications for digital channels have been filed
with the Canadian Radio-TV and Telecom Commission (CRTC) and
writes that TSN's applications "include one of four for all-
hockey channels, one of two for classic sports, two for all-
women's channels as well as Sports Talk TV, Multilingual
Sports Television, The Coaches Network, TSN2 and The Fishing
Network." The hockey applications include "one from Corus
Entertainment that is backed by Wayne Gretzky." Corus TV
President Paul Robertson said that Gretzky would act as a
consultant. The other hockey channel applications came from
Headline Sports and the NHL (TORONTO STAR, 4/12).