Last night's Bulls-Jazz Game Six earned a 22.9/36
preliminary overnight rating, up 14% from last year's
20.1/35 Game Six overnight (THE DAILY). Friday night's Game
Five earned an "impressive" 20.6/36 overnight rating, and
"apparently clinched a record rating for this year's NBA
Finals," according to Tom Bierbaum of DAILY VARIETY.
However, Friday's overnights "didn't quite measure up" to
last year's Game Five, which was played on a Wednesday night
and got a 22.3 overnight (DAILY VARIETY, 6/15).
A BULLS MARKET: In Boston, Howard Manly writes that NBC
"continued its slant toward the [Bulls] during its coverage
of Game 6," as it "[o]nce again" featured a report on the
team during halftime. Manly adds that play-by-play man Bob
Costas "demonstrated his absolute disgust with all things
[Dennis] Rodman by making all sorts of snitty remarks."
Manly: "In the end, NBC hit the jackpot by showcasing the
Bulls at the expense of the Jazz as the Bulls won their
sixth title. But that doesn't excuse its lack of fairness
and equal air time, and it certainly doesn't excuse Costas"
(BOSTON GLOBE, 6/15). In Toronto, Rob Longley writes that
if NBC's coverage sometimes "comes across as Michael Jordan
hero worship, there is valid financial, if not journalistic,
rationalization." He adds that "normally even-keeled Bob
Costas falls victim to the spell" (TORONTO SUN, 6/15). In
Utah, John Youngren writes that Jazz fans "lamenting ...
about NBC's supposed lack of respect for the Jazz seemed
particularly misplaced Sunday night" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE,
6/15). In Houston, David Barron calls Doug Collins "easily
the MVP" of NBC's broadcast team (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 6/15).
In Richmond, Jerry Lindquist writes that although Isiah
Thomas has gotten a fair amount of criticism, "Count on NBC
keeping and nurturing Thomas" (TIMES-DISPATCH, 6/15).
