Local TV ratings for IN Univ.'s (IU) press conference
Monday detailing the suspension and fine of men's basketball
coach Bobby Knight "were only moderately higher than usual"
in Indianapolis, according to Marc Allan of the INDIANAPOLIS
STAR, who reports that 17.8% of central Indiana (52% share
of the audience), watched the beginning of the press
conference, which was carried in various amounts on WRTV-
ABC, WISH-CBS, WTHR-NBC, and WXIN-Fox. ESPN, which carried
the full press conference, earned a 0.46 national rating
(356,000 HHs), up 44% compared with its average rating for
the past month. CNNSI.com also registered "plenty of
activity," as of mid-afternoon Tuesday, more than 24,000
users had responded to its question of the day regarding
Knight. Also, nearly 240,000 users logged on Monday to the
Indianapolis Star's Web site, which is up 52% compared to
the previous Monday (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 5/17). CNN/SI
Managing Editor Steve Robinson, whose network's airing of
former player Neil Reed's account of being choked by Knight
led to the investigation of the coach, said: "I think our
powerful pieces on Neil Reed that didn't have an agenda but
simply sought the truth got some other people to come
forward. And they also motivated our colleagues in the
media to come forward with other stories" (USA TODAY, 5/17).
