Media Notes

MEDIAWEEK's Katy Bachman noted ESPN Radio recently signed a deal to broadcast on WNUW-FM, making it the "first FM sports station in Philadelphia." The move is part of ESPN's "broad strategy to migrate more affiliates to FM" -- WNUW becomes the "29th FM affiliate ESPN has signed since January," up from 10 FM affils two years ago. Meanwhile, CBS Radio also recently launched sports on FM stations in Detroit, Baltimore, DC and Boston, and the "reasons for the trend are striking." Arbitron indicates that 79% of radio listeners tune into FM stations, providing a "much larger and more diverse pool of listeners" than AM feeds (MEDIAWEEK.com, 10/18).

GOLDEN GOAL: SI.com's Richard Deitsch wrote ESPN's hiring of British soccer announcer Martin Tyler for the net's '10 FIFA World Cup coverage is a "major coup" for ESPN, and represents a "huge evolution of the network's soccer production." Tyler's hiring is the "equivalent of the D.C. United franchise acquiring Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo and makes it more than likely that soccer diehards won't be so quick to change the channel to Telemundo come next June" (SI.com, 10/19).

Abraham (r) Knocks Out Taylor In  His First Bout Of Super Six Tourney

ONE-TWO PUNCH: YAHOO SPORTS' Kevin Iole writes Showtime "got what it wanted -- sort of -- in the first round of the Super Six super middleweight tournament Saturday." Arthur Abraham "knocked out Jermain Taylor with a crushing right late in the 12th round," and Carl Froch "won a split decision later in the night over previously unbeaten Andre Dirrell." But Showtime "would have been wise to put a marquee matchup on first to help boost interest," and a Froch-Abraham bout "would have been a terrific opener, far better than either of the two that were shown." But the tournament is a "great concept which could do much for the sport" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/20).

NOTES: KTRS-AM MLB Cardinals radio announcer Mike Shannon said that "rumblings that he might cut back his broadcast schedule next season are unfounded." Shannon, 70, is "headed toward the final year" of his contract (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 10/16)....Globe & Mail hockey writer Tim Wharnsby has left the newspaper to write for the CBC (TORONTO SUN, 10/18).