Boning up for Kids Cable Race
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Up- to-the- minute news at wwwbroadcastingcable.com $4.95 I 1 The News weekly of Television an Vol. 128 No. 5 67th Year 158 A Cahners Publication INickelodeon's Herb Scannell boning Up For Kids Cable Race SPECIAL REPORT . Station tr tops $23 Clinton/Kennard push free TV time for puls Media gain from Clinton pain * * * * * * **** ** * * * * * * *3 -DIGIT 591 6IJili6nrllnmlillwlln. ililnlilihlnl BC075184 A1E398 REG3 601 JOHN C MOON XTVG -TV 165 HATE1TTYI WAY 3ILLINGS. MT 59102 -77E5 www.americanradiohistory.com 1 TFR$CCD CameradRecorder AJ-D700 . - The moment of concentration before the gate meters above ground. systems, such as DVCPRO in our role as the Offi- slams open. The turn of a ski that determines And that's important when the difference cial Supplier and prime contractor for the Interna- the race. The spin. The soar. The gasp. between a national hero and a silver medalist is tional Broadcast Center(IBCI and all the venues. With Panasonic DVCPRO cameras covering every measured in .001 second increments. game at Nagano, there's not much drama our As an Official Worldwide Olympic Partner lenses will miss. There are over 30,000 DVCPRO units in use at participating with superior digital technology, we broadcast facilities around the world, offering believe it's also important to cover the true spirit But it's more than just the coverage that will super-sharp digital images, pin -drop sound quali- of sport. Something we do with our hearts, not make you feel like you're right in the middle of it. ty and minimal dubbing degradation. DVCPRO just our cameras. DVCPRO digital cameras are so lightweight, they won't just bring the action to your home, it will allow broadcasters to keep pace with the athletes, bring you to Nagano. See you in Nagano for the snow. even at 140 kilometers per hour, even at 138 Panasonic will offer state -of- the -art broadcasting Argentina Tel. 54-1 -308 -1610 Canada Tel. 1- 905á24 5010 Egypt Tel. 20-3938151 Iran Tel. 98 -21- 2271463 Norway Tel. 47- 22658400 Tel. 54-1- 954-2010 Chile Tel. 56-551 -9571 Finland Tel. 358 -9 -521 -5253 Italy Tel. 39 -2-67881 Panama Tel. 507-229-2955 Australia Tel. 61-2-9887-6222 China Tel. 86- 10- 6836-4788 France Tel. 33- 149464388 Kuwait Tel. %5-481 -2123 Peru Tel. 51-145-29470 Tel. 61.2- 986-7400 Tel. 86106515.8828 Germany Tel. 49 -611 -18160 Malaysia Tel. 60-3- 755 -0511 Philippines Tel. 632- 722 -7490 Austna Tel. 43- 161080 -337 Colombia Tel. 507- 229 -2955 Greece Tel. 301- 9899300 Tel. 60-3-757-6622 Poland Tel. 48 -3912 -3173 Bahrain Tel. 973.252292 Tel. 57- 1á16-8373 Hong Kong Tel. 852- 2313 -0888 Meaku, D.E Tel. 52-5-488 -1000 Portugal Tel. 351-1-424-8660 Belgium Tel. 32- 2-481-0481 Czech Republic Tel. 42 -02- 2166-4120 Hungary Tel. 36-1- 344-2614 Net edabds Tel. 31- 73á402 -505 Puerto Rico Tel. 1- 787- 750-4300 Brazil Tel. 55 -11- 889 -4000 Denmark Tel. 45-43- 200 -800 Indonesia Tel. 62 -21- 801 -5666 New Zealand Tel. 64-9- 272 -0100 Singapore Tel. 65-390-3699 www.americanradiohistory.com Studio VR AJ -0750 _4;1 Jll,;lli'' I1'' 111;;;;'lll31;ll!Ill;;ll Official Worldwide Olympic Partner South Africa let. 27- 11- 313-140C U.K. Tel 44118-902 -9210 Spain let. 34-3 -425 -9300 U.S.A. Tel. 1 -800- 5288601 Sweden - e1.468- 680 -8238 Venezuela Tel 58-2-93-3022 Switzerland let. 41 -41- 253 -9090 Tel 58-2- 285 -6440 o, Taiwan, R.O.C. Tel. 886-2-76-91X Panasonic Thailand Tel. 66-2- 731 -9527 T -103 36 USC 380 On) Official Mark of the Canadian Olympic Association Turkey Tel. 90-216416 °D http: U.A.E. Tel. 971 -4- 71900(1 //www.panasonic.co.ip www.americanradiohistory.com http: //www.broadcastingcable.com Must Reading from Fast Pack February 2, 1998 TOP OF THE WEEK / 6 DTI, ownership rules top Kennard schedule A series of TV- and cable -related rules will be topping FCC Chairman William Kennard's agenda. Broadcasters won't have to worry SPECIAL REPORT anytime soon about an FCC inquiry into televised alcohol advertising. 6 / Living large TV for pots The day after Clinton/Kennard push free time in 1997 the President said he would "formally" ask the FCC to move on a free or reduced -cost airtime Station trading plan for political candidates, FCC Chairman continued its rapid William Kennard said he plans to do just that. 7 pace through last / year, but brokers FCC delays DTV decision Commission- expect a significant drop in dollar volume ers had hoped last week to complete a revised and transactions in 1998. / 32 plan for matching each station with a channel for digital broadcasting. But regulators pulled the issue from their Jan. 29 meeting at midweek. / 7 It now looks as though UPN will deal with Buena Media gain from Clinton pain Cable news channels have received the biggest ratings Vista Television for 'Rt g of the Clinton sex scandal, but everything from morning news to Sunday rats' rather than Mickey boosts from coverage and company. /8 talk shows to State of the Union broadcasts has attracted more viewers. / 10 BROADCASTING / 61 CABLE / 70 NBC Bowls over competition The numbers for Lifetime takes `Five' Lifetime won the bidding war NBC's Super Bowl XXXII broadcast did not break records, for off- network rights to Columbia TriStar Television Dis- but they were huge nonetheless, at an estimated 133.4 mil- tribution's Party of Five. The cable channel dished out lion viewers. / 61 $500,000 per episode for the Fox drama. / 70 Women out of the S-A to ship million set-tops Scientific- Atlanta spotlight at nets A says it holds an 18 -month technological lead over competi- study from Southern Illinois tor General Instrument and will ship just under I million of University shows minorities its Explorer 2000 digital set -top boxes this year. / 71 net- gaining recognition at Hughes is bullish on DirecTV DirecTV will in- work news organizations, crease subsidies for new sub- are while women dropping scribers to more than $400 this A major event like President from the spotlight. Clinton's sex scandal may / 61 year, compared with the high bring American viewers more $300s last year. The move accel- news, but less reporting. /62 PBS takes free-time offensive PBS is planning erates DirecTV's take- no- prison- to offer congressional candidates in the 1998 midterm elec- ers approach to gaining market tions free prime time slots. Even more time may be avail- Discovery will open a super- share but pushes the break -even able to presidential candidates in 2000. / 66 store in Washington. / 74 point into 1999. / 72 TECHNOLOGY /77 COVER STORY new chopper New York's NBC Nickelodeon: Tooning WNBC launches O &O WNBC is flying over Manhattan with a new ENG heli- cable race up for kids copter, the first twin -engine newsgathercr in the U.S. / 77 Now in his 10th year at the network, Nickelodeon's Herb Scannell believes his "kids White House crisis draws to the 'Net Internet first" programming will con- news sites' numbers soared through cyberspace because of tinue to grab ratings and major news events, including the presidential crisis. / 80 advertisers. / 12 Cover photo by Tom Sobolik/ Broadcast Ratings ...64 Datebook 99 For the Record 96 Black Star; cartoon figures by Changing Hands 69 Editorials 106 In Brief 104 Nickelodeon Classified 83 Fates & Fortunes...102 Open Mike 98 Closed Circuit 12 Fifth Estater 101 Washington Watch..26 4 February 21998 Broadcasting & Cable www.americanradiohistory.com fay Monahan 1956 -1998 Devoted husband and father. Respected news professional. An admired friend. We mourn the passing of our colleague. at ik Net at NBC NBC NEWS NBC CNBC www.americanradiohistory.com Broadcasting & Cable Battle lines form over free airtime Congress says FCC cluesn't hare jurisdiction to mandate uh/gutiuil; broadcasters agree By Chris McConnell Kennard listed few details of the solution he hopes to launch as a rule - president Clinton's call last week making proposal. But he conceded that for free political airtime drew an the plan will call for mandated free or FCC response -and touched off discounted airtime for state and federal a partisan battle -in no time. candidates seeking access to the air- The day aller the President said he waves. The plan will not apply to cable would "formally" ask the commission but may apply to radio. to move on a free or reduced -cost air- The proposal will focus "primarily" time plan for political candidates. FCC' on the channel that broadcasters are Chairman William Kennard said he receiving for digital television, plans to do just that. Two more Demo- although Kennard said he is not ruling cratic commissioners chimed in with out a transitional requirement for cur- support for a political airtime initiative. In his State of the Union address, rent analog channels as well. while Republican lawmakers threat- President Clinton called on the FCC to FCC sources say the chairman had ened to block the move. look into requiring free or lower -cost planned to launch the effort as a notice "Only the Congress can enact this or time for political candidates. of inquiry. Last week, however. Ken- any other kind of programming obliga- the worst start ever of any FCC com- nard said that Mass Media Bureau staff tion on broadcasters." Senate Com- missioner. instead were preparing a rulemaking merce Committee Chairman John The strong statement followed word proposal -which in the FCC regulatory McCain (R- Ariz.) said.