Bud Paxson, who purchased WBIS-TV in New York last
month, "is scheduled to announce today that he has signed
Bloomberg TV for a one-year deal to broadcast up to 12 hours
during the day." The station is being renamed WPXN (N.Y.
DAILY NEWS, 6/11)....Dick Irvin, the radio voice of the
Canadiens for 29 years, "won't be back behind the microphone
next season." Irvin will continue his TV work on "Hockey
Night in Canada" for Saturday games, but will not call games
on Montreal's CJAD anymore. Irvin: "It was strictly the
travel. ... I'm 65, and it had to come sooner or later"
(Montreal GAZETTE, 6/11)....Also in Canada, CBC TV Producer
John Shannon "confirmed last night that he will be back ...
calling the signals" for "Hockey Night in Canada." Shannon
had "been lifted from playoff duty three weeks ago by CBC
Sports chief Alan Clark after an altercation with a HNIC
director" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 6/11)....Work will begin
today at the CoreStates Center in Philadelphia on studios
and offices for the new Comcast-Spectacor all-sports cable
channel that starts in October (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS,
6/11)....The World League's World Bowl '97 will be broadcast
on Fox on Sunday June 22, from 1-4pm ET. Kevin Harlan will
handle play-by-play duties along with analysts Matt Millen
and Bill Maas (Fox)....ESPN's WNBA coverage will begin on
Monday June 16 at 10:00pm ET with a 30-minute "WNBA Preview
Special" hosted by Robin Roberts (ESPN).