CBS Station Group Chair Mel Karmazin, speaking at "the Big Picture" media conference in N.Y., said that "he was interested in adding to, as opposed to selling," CBS, according to the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Karmazin: "There is no for-sale sign on our network. As a matter of fact, we'd like to be a buyer" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/1). In N.Y. Phyllis Furman reports that rumors had circulated that Karmazin "is entertaining bids from prospective buyers." Among the names mentioned is Time Warner, which runs the WB network. But Karmazin said, "The company is not in need of cash" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/1). Karmazin said that CBS would like to own a second network, but such a move is currently prohibited by federal law (DAILY VARIETY, 4/1). OTHER NOTES: DAILY VARIETY's Rich Katz reports that both CBS and NBC confirmed they will soon use HDTV, although NBC CEO Bob Wright said that NBC will probably not broadcast the 2000 Olympics in high definition. Karmazin said that CBS will not televise NFL games in high definition this coming season either. In other news from the conference, TCI President Leo Hindery "once again voiced concern about increasing sports license fees being paid by the networks" (DAILY VARIETY, 4/1)....Disney Chair Michael Eisner said that the $9.2B Disney will pay for NFL rights over the next eight years "is partly justified by the opportunity to further spread" the ESPN brand. He added that if Disney loses money on the NFL deal, it won't be much. In N.Y., Jon Elsen speculates that extending the ESPN brand could possibly lead to the renaming of "Monday Night Football" to "ESPN's Monday Night Football" (Jon Elsen, N.Y. POST, 4/1).
