On the front page of today's BOSTON GLOBE, Bruce Mohl
examines the increase of cable rates in MA. While TV
customers in MA "have seen their rates rise at least" 10%
each of the last two years, "bigger increases may loom on
the horizon." Rachel Ribarczyk, Regional Marketing Dir for
Harron Communications, a MA cable operator, on ESPN's
planned 20% increase in August: "It's the highest increase
I've ever seen in my tenure in cable." Paul Trane of MA-
based Telecommunications Insight Group: "Nobody's going to
blame the NFL, TNT or ESPN for the rate increases. They'll
blame their local cable operator" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/22).
...Bob Trumpy, on why he's not a part of CBS's NFL
announcing team: "[CBS Sports President] Sean McManus told
me I was too high-profile with NBC for too long. I thought
that would be the greatest plus" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER,
6/22)....In Boston, Jim Baker wrote that WBZ-AM "rejected" a
proposal for "The McDonoughs," a talk show with Will and
Sean McDonough, due to a "steep asking price" (BOSTON
HERALD, 6/21)....Atlanta's Media One TV picked up "Denny
Neagle and The Meck," a half-hour weekly program with the
Braves P and AL-based sportscaster David Meckey. Up until
then, the show had only been airing in Alabama (ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 6/21).
