Archive for January, 2009

First, the results of last week’s predictions. NBA on ABC, Mavericks/Celtics. Prediction: 2.0. Final rating: 1.7. The Celtics’ blowout of the Mavericks had a negative effect on the ratings. The 1.7 final rating for the [...]

There is no doubt that Sunday’s Super Bowl XLIII will be the highest rated, most viewed television program of the year by far. However, there is also little doubt that the highest profile sporting event [...]

Almost every year, at least one ad is banned from the Super Bowl. This year is no exception. NBC has rejected an ad from animal rights group PETA, on the grounds that it “depicts a [...]

Ratings for ABC’s first Sunday afternoon NBA doubleheader of the season were generally on par with last year’s numbers. The first game of the doubleheader, the Celtics’ blowout of the Mavericks, drew a 1.7/4 final [...]

ESPN has assigned one of its top men’s basketball teams to a high-profile women’s game. Brent Musburger and Bob Knight will call Monday night’s women’s college basketball game between Tennessee and #2 ranked Oklahoma on [...]

The economic downturn has taken its latest victim. ESPN has announced that it will institute a hiring freeze for the remainder of 2009, except to replace departing employees. As a result, the network will cut [...]

Jimmy Connors: The tennis legend has been named the lead analyst for coverage of this year’s U.S. Open on Tennis Channel, joining Bill Macatee and Martina Navratilova. Connors, who has worked for NBC and the [...]

For the second straight year, the Winter X Games came out ahead in its battle with the NHL All Star Game. Coverage of Winter X Games 13 drew a 1.1 U.S. rating and 1.7 million [...]

NBC Universal is using using virtually all of its platforms to promote NBC’s first Super Bowl telecast in eleven years. USA Network, Telemundo and Bravo, each under the NBC Universal umbrella, will air Super Bowl [...]

With the economy making some companies hesitant to spend $3 million for a 30-second advertisement, NBC has had to sell some of its Super Bowl ads at a lower price. In a conference call yesterday, [...]