Media Notes

WGC Bridgestone Invitational Rating On CBS Down 34% From Last Year In Tiger's Absence

CBS for its final-round coverage Sunday of the WGC Bridgestone Invitational drew a 2.3 overnight Nielsen rating, down 34% from last year. USA TODAY's Michael Hiestand notes golfer Tiger Woods won the event last year, while this year he did not play as he recovers from knee surgery. Hiestand: "End of ratings story. Can't some Tiger hologram play virtually?" (USA TODAY, 8/5). In Akron, George Thomas writes despite a leader board including golfers Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh and Lee Westwood, Woods is the "reason the ratings tanked." Thomas: "Woods is golf right now. He brings the prestige. He has brought more cash to purses and, with respect to television, he apparently is the one who's bringing the numbers" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 8/5).

DISHING OUT: In Denver, Jeff Smith reports Dish Network in Q2 lost subscribers, "believed to be the first time in its 28-year history." Dish Network CEO Charles Ergen yesterday "blamed the net subscriber loss -- albeit small at 25,000 -- on a weak economy and housing downturn, signal piracy and fraud, operational inefficiencies and TV competition from telcos and DirecTV" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 8/5).

FOX SPOTS: BROADCASTING & CABLE's Melissa Grego reports Fox execs “plan to roll out a branding campaign this summer across the network and its affiliates, anchored by the slogan, ‘So Fox.’ As in, so brash. So Edgy. So Fox.” The push will debut this month, sometime before Fox’ new season kicks off on Labor Day (BROADCASTING & CABLE, 8/4 issue).

BIG TEN DEAL: Cable provider Midcontinent Communications, whose service extends to about 200,000 people in western Minnesota and the Dakotas, has inked a deal to add the Big Ten Network (BTN) to its lineup of channels beginning August 15. Midcontinent will carry the BTN on the expanded basic level of service in Minnesota and on a digital tier elsewhere (THE DAILY).