ESPN MOUNTS ASIA-PACIFIC INITIATIVE TO JUMP START AD SALES

          ESPN Inc. has launched an Asia-Pacific ad sales
     initiative focusing on Japan, Australia and New Zealand,
     according to AD AGE.  The initiative will be run out of Hong
     Kong by newly appointed Pacific Rim Ad Sales Manager Sundip
     Agarwal, who will report to Michael Fox, ESPN VP/Worldwide
     Ad Sales.  The new strategy marks the "first time" ESPN has
     ventured into the region solo since forming a joint venture
     with News Corp.'s Star Sports Network in '96.  But ESPN's
     latest move "will have no impact" on the Star Sports joint
     venture.  ESPN Inc. Senior VP Willy Burkhardt said that the
     move to increase ad sales resources in Japan, Australia and
     New Zealand comes "as distribution in the three markets
     increases and regulations on pay-TV advertising carriage
     ease."  AD AGE reports that ESPN's ad sales in the markets
     have "been slow or non-existent, and revenue has been mostly
     from pay-TV subscription fees" (AD AGE, 8/13).