The contract of Jim Nelford, The Golf Channel's lead analyst
for live men's tournament coverage, was not renewed for '96. TGC
VP/Production Mike Whelan said the two sides could not come to
terms on a new deal. Also, Don McGuire, a former Senior VP at
Turner Broadcasting, has been retained as consultant for TGC
(GOLF WEEK, 12/16 issue)....At "Spotlight on Interactive
Advertising '95" in New York, Scott Kurnitt, President & CEO of
the new MCI/News Corp. online venture, predicted '96 could pose a
challenge to the interactive community. Kurnitt said although
"there will be some new companies" emerging, there's "no question
the business will have a shakeout" after a year of "enthusiasm
and discovery." Kurnitt: "Some will be better than others,
rising to the top and capturing people's imagination. Some will
be dormant. And some will go out of business" (Stuart Elliot,
N.Y. TIMES, 12/20)....ESPN will not bring back Roy Smalley Jr. as
an analyst on "Baseball Tonight" telecasts (USA TODAY,
12/20)....Harbin Enterprises will present a new call-in radio
show, "Roto Talk," hosted by DC sports talk show host Bruce
Murray. The show will provide commentary and discussion on all
fantasy sports and can be initially heard in the Washington on
all-sports WTEM-AM. An announcement regarding other affiliates
will be released after January 1 (Harbin Enterprises).....Despite
earlier reports that Red Sox TV rights would move to WABU-TV, the
VHF channel was notified by Sox TV rightsholder Kevin Dunn "that
it had lost out." WLVI-TV now becomes the "heir apparent" (Jack
Craig, BOSTON GLOBE, 12/19).
