Media Notes

Ochocinco Plays The Role Of Journalist During Media Day

In Philadelphia, Ashley Fox writes Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco yesterday at the Super Bowl Media Day "struggled ... as a would-be bulldog journalist trying to get his question answered during the most densely populated media availability of the football season." Ochocinco was "inside the ropes" reporting for his Ochocinco News Network and was "closer to Peyton Manning than any other media member in the throng." But he "couldn't get Manning to hear, and therefore answer, a legitimate follow-up question" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 2/3). Redskins TE Chris Cooley, Cardinals DT Darnell Dockett and Ravens RB Ray Rice all served as OCNN correspondents yesterday, and L.A. Times columnist Bill Plaschke said, "Those guys don't ask any dumber questions than we ask. Those guys, in fact, probably ask more intelligent questions. They have more inside information" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 2/2). Cooley noted the experience was "a lot of fun" ("The Scott Van Pelt Show," ESPN2, 2/2).

LAST-MINUTE SUB: In New Orleans, Dave Walker reports Fox reporter Chris Myers during the Saints-Vikings NFC Championship game "learned he would replace" Fox' Terry Bradshaw as the presenter of the George Halas Trophy "during the fourth quarter, with the outcome still far from decided." Myers said that Bradshaw, who was suffering voice problems, "had awarded the Halas Trophy to every NFC Champion since Fox bought the league broadcast rights in the mid-1990s." Myers: "He grabbed me with a hand on each shoulder, and it's almost like, 'Hey, you're going in for me.' I saw great disappointment. I felt for him" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 2/3).

TUNING IN: In Dallas, Tim Cowlishaw wrote under the header, "Interest In Pro Bowl From Viewers, Not Players." ESPN drew more than 12 million viewers for Sunday's Pro Bowl, which earned its "best ratings in 10 years since it was on network TV." Cowlishaw: "As much as you will read and hear about the NBA All-Star Game coming to [Cowboys Stadium in 11 days], and how that game is superior (barely) because the very best in the sport actually show up, the NBA would kill to get that kind of rating" (DALLASNEWS.com, 2/2).

RISING COSTS COMING? Bernstein analyst Craig Moffett remarked that Comcast's results in the content division were weak with EBITDA down -17% from Q4 '08 on higher-than-expected programming costs. Moffett: "With a yawning hole in their primetime line-up at NBC Network, one might reasonably fear that higher programming and development costs (on the content side of the business) are a harbinger of things to come" (John Ourand, THE DAILY).

BEST WISHES: In Miami, Barry Jackson reports WQAM-AM host Jim Mandich, who also serves as the Dolphins' radio analyst, is "off the air at least for this week because of an undisclosed illness." Mandich "has been off the air since Thursday" (MIAMI HERALD, 2/3).