UPN REPORTEDLY CLOSE TO DEAL ON U.S. OPEN SKATING EVENT

          UPN "is close to a deal to broadcast the U.S. Open
     Skating Championships," according to Richard Katz of
     MEDIAWEEK.  Details of the new event have yet to be
     finalized, but it is expected to air on UPN this fall.  The
     event is "being put together and packaged by the Marquee
     Group and SMTI."   Katz notes that while ice skating "is a
     reliable way for the nets to air strong female viewership,
     some media buyers say there are now too many events."  SFM
     Media President Jerry Solomon: "It's stop-gap programming. 
     It doesn't excite a lot of advertisers" (MEDIAWEEK, 3/17).