ESPN is working to get access to Lawrence Phillips for its
NFL draft coverage. Phillips, thus far, has declined all media
invitations. ESPN Coordinating Producer Fred Gaudelli: "The No.
1 priority for us is to be with Phillips no matter where he is"
(ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 4/17).... GOLFWEEK's Dave Shedloski
examines The Golf Channel's planned move into Japan, noting that
currently only 5% of Japan's 43 million households have cable or
satellite capacity. TGC VP/Int'l Nick Newman: "The whole
(cable) industry is ready to explode in Japan; it's been stifled
until now. There's a tremendous upside" (GOLFWEEK, 4/13).
....Pat O'Brien has been chosen to host CBS Radio Network's new
daily sports feature, "Sportstime," which debuts April 22. The
three-and-a-half minute feature will offer news and commentary
(CBS Radio)....Sports Illustrated is hiking its newsstand price
18.6% from $2.95 to $3.50, effective with the April 29 issue.
The price of SI for Kids will also go up (AD AGE ONLINE,
4/17)....Hockey Night in Canada's Don Cherry set a record for
hockey chat response on ESPNET SportsZone with 1,157 questions
(GLOBE & MAIL, 4/17).
