Since its announcement last fall of a $2.4B, six-year
TV package with NBC and Fox, NASCAR officials "have been
quiet" about its future TV plans, according to Mike Mulhern
of the WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, who noted that the debut of
The NASCAR Channel "is expected next year, but NASCAR isn't
saying much about that either." Mulhern: "What little has
dribbled out of Daytona is that NBC has picked as its booth
anchor Alan Bestwick, ... and Benny Parsons as its analyst,
and that Fox has picked Darrell Waltrip as its analyst."
But Mulhern wondered if there is a "serious search under way
for talented and gutsy TV journalists to bring the sport to
the masses?" He added that fans "have a right to demand
that Fox, NBC and Turner hire some good, hard-nosed
journalists who won't spout the NASCAR company line. ...
NASCAR executives, if they're honest with themselves about
wanting to do what's right for the sport, should demand the
same, from the new networks and from the men they pick to
run The NASCAR Channel" (WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, 4/16).
