TV MONITOR: Last night's 10:00pm ET 60-minute edition
of FSN's "National Sports Report" (late due to MLB) led with
a 3:49 report on the first round of the U.S. Open, followed
by Astros-Rockies and White Sox-Yankees. Last night's
11:00pm ET 60-minute edition of ESPN's "SportsCenter" led
with a 3:58 report on the U.S. Open, followed by White Sox-
Yankees and Braves-Pirates. Last night's 11:00pm ET 30-
minute edition of CNN/SI's "Sports Tonight" led with a 4:01
report on the U.S. Open, followed by a report on the death
of 93 year-old golf course designer Robert Trent Jones Sr.
and White Sox-Yankees (THE DAILY).
NBA MEDIA NOTES: In Miami, Barry Jackson writes that
"NBA on NBC" analyst Isiah Thomas' coverage of the Finals
"raises questions," as he "is a candidate to replace" Pacers
coach Larry Bird after the season. Jackson: "While I do not
question Thomas' ethics, he presumably is not going to say
anything to jeopardize his chances of getting the job. ...
Thomas can have the best intentions, but some viewers are
still going to wonder" (MIAMI HERALD, 6/16)....In Boston,
Howard Manly profiles NBC reporter Ahmad Rashad, whose
critics say that he is "too chummy with players." Rashad,
who "doesn't apologize" for his style: "Hey, if my boss
wants to know the status of [Lakers G] Kobe Bryant's ankle
problem, I'll call Kobe at home or on his cell phone. Put
it this way: If I need any top athlete, I can get him or
her" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/16).
ESPN'S PRESENCE: In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes that
"word out of" Bristol, CT, is that ESPN "is eager to wrest"
announcer Mike Emrick from FSNY. ESPN sources say that the
net "is hot on [Emrick's] trail" (N.Y. POST, 6/16)....In
Jerusalem, Allison Kaplan Sommer, noting ESPN debuted a
network in Israel (see THE DAILY, 6/15), wrote that the net
is broadcasting to subscribers of Arutzei Zahav channels,
which are available in the Jerusalem and Sharon areas.
Beginning Sunday, ESPN will also be broadcast on Matav and
Tevel, the remaining two cable companies (JERUSALEM POST,
6/13)....ESPN, Inc. has acquired Dow Jones' minority stake
in SportsTicker Enterprises (Dow Jones).
NOTES: In N.Y., Saul Hansell reports that "as soon as"
today, News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch will file with the SEC
to sell shares in a new company "holding all the interests"
in its satellite TV properties, including the Star system in
Asia, BSkyB and "stakes in other systems" in Europe and
Latin America. Analysts "expect" the new company, which
"will use some variation of the Sky name, to be valued at
more than $40B. Hansell: "With the company expected to
raise perhaps $5 billion, it will be the largest media
offering in history" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/16)....NBC has added a
"boatcam" for coverage of the U.S. Open to "get a
perspective" of Pebble Beach, CA, from the Pacific Ocean
(S.F. CHRONICLE, 6/15)....In Minneapolis, Judd Zulgad cites
sources as saying that former Twins analyst Bob Kurtz "is
expected to be named" the first member of the Wild's
broadcast team "within the next couple of weeks." Kurtz has
been at NESN since '89 (Minn. STAR TRIBUNE, 6/16).
