Media Notes
In St. Louis, Dan Caesar cites an NFL source as saying that the league "plans to speak with large cable companies that don't carry NFL Network, including Charter, early this summer." Charter dropped the net in '06 "in a dispute as to where it would be placed" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 6/5).
EARLY SUCCESS: In Miami, Barry Jackson writes MLB Network's first five months have been "exceptional, marked by savvy decisions on talent; a creativity and thoroughness in its approach; and a commitment to pack oodles of statistics into studio shows, without overwhelming viewers." Viewers watching the net are "switched seamlessly from game to game" on the net's signature "MLB Tonight" program, and producers "strike the right balance between live look-ins, highlight packages and analysis." Though the net's programming has "achieved the right mix between new and nostalgic," its "best asset remains Bob Costas" (MIAMI HERALD, 6/5).
SHAKY BROADCAST: In Utah, Scott Pierce writes CSN California's coverage of last Saturday's MLS Real Salt Lake-Earthquakes match was "perhaps the most abominably produced, incompetently announced sporting event I've ever witnessed." The broadcast "cut away from the action on the field to show us video of the San Jose coach sitting on the sidelines being interviewed." It also left live game action to "show us two goals the Earthquakes scored against Real -- LAST YEAR" (DESERET NEWS, 6/5).
IMPRESSIVE STREAK ENDS: In Ft. Worth, Jeff Wilson reports MLB Rangers radio play-by-play announcer Eric Nadel "underwent surgery Thursday morning to repair two tears in his right retina and will be out of the booth indefinitely." Nadel subsequently did not broadcast Thursday's Rangers-Yankees game, which marked the first game he had "missed since 1989, a string of 3,176 consecutive games." Wilson notes Dave Barnett "assumed Nadel's duties and was joined" by MLB Rangers Senior Exec VP Jim Sundberg and Rangers Exec VP/Communications John Blake for Thursday's broadcast. Former MLBer Steve Busby will "join the team in Boston and be in the booth this weekend" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 6/5).
BLACKED OUT: NESN's standard-definition broadcast of Thursday's Red Sox-Tigers game in the Boston area "went black just before the first pitch at 1:05 p.m. and the feed didn't return until the bottom of the third inning." NESN said that it was "because of a problem with the fiber line that carries the signal." The net "apologized and replayed" the game Thursday night (BOSTON HERALD, 6/5).
|
