CBC President Robert Rabinovitch "wants to stop" the NHL playoffs from "disrupting" Canada's national news show, "The National," according to Chris Cobb of the OTTAWA CITIZEN. Rabinovitch: "I don't like the idea of hockey completely destroying our schedule. ... We must have the playoffs because there is no money in hockey for us otherwise. But there are ways of doing it and we are looking at various combinations. ... Sports is not that lucrative. It's OK and we break even." CBC's contract with the NHL expires after next season and CBC "wants to renew." Also, CBC will "likely" stop coverage of Blue Jays games but will continue with the Olympics (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 12/29). CBC Exec Dir of Network Programming Slawko Klymkiw denied that CBC will discontinue its "Hockey Night in Canada" (NATIONAL POST, 12/30). In Toronto, Jim Hunt wrote that Rabinovitch wants to "reduce" coverage of the playoffs and "only cover the weekend games" while shifting mid-week games to a partner network (TORONTO SUN, 1/2). In Calgary, Brian Dowbiggin wrote that viewers will "never miss seeing" a Canadian-based team or the Stanley Cup Finals. Rabinovitch: "Where the problem crops up is when you have only American-based teams left. The ratings ... are half what Canadian teams draw" (CALGARY HERALD, 1/2).
