ESPN announced that Kenny Mayne will join Dan Patrick
to form the anchor team on ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter,"
effective August 31, when its Sunday night edition will
expand to 90 minutes. Stuart Scott and Rich Eisen will be
the featured team on the 2:00am ET "SportsCenter." Linda
Cohn will regularly host the Friday and Saturday 11:00pm ET
"SportsCenter." ESPN will also add a one-hour Saturday
morning show beginning August 30 at 10:30am ET to be hosted
by Jack Edwards and Chris McKendry (ESPN).
BEHIND THE SCENES: USA TODAY's Michael Hiestand writes
that ESPN management "tried to console the many runner-up
candidates" to fill Keith Olbermann's old post Thursday,
"but wouldn't specify exactly why Mayne was picked, instead
vaguely noting Mayne's writing and humor skills" (USA TODAY,
8/15). In Baltimore, Milton Kent adds Dan Patrick said that
"he was perfectly content" to remain at "SportsCenter," but
wouldn't rule out the possibility of going to ABC's "Good
Morning America" in the future. Patrick: "[F]or the time
being this is what I want to do" (Baltimore SUN, 8/15).
UP CLOSE IN THE HEADLINES: In L.A., Tom Hoffarth writes
on ESPN's "Up Close," hosted by Chris Myers. Hoffarth: "If
ESPN chooses to keep this as one of its 'signature shows,'
it might as well sign the death certificate now. 'Up Close'
has gone six feet under" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 8/15).
