Category Archives: Television

DirecTV Customers in Boston May Miss Super Bowl

DirecTV, WHDH

Nearly a quarter of a million Boston area DirecTV subscribers have been cut off from a pair of Boston television stations since Saturday.  Unless the stations owners and DirecTV can come up with a resolution to their dispute chances are good those customer’s will have to go elsewhere to watch the Super Bowl on February 5.

WHDH TV Channel 7 and WLVI TV Channel 56 owners Sunbeam Television Corp. blacked out it’s stations signals from DirecTV while it seeks an increase in the fees that DirecTV pays to carry the station.

Sunbeam says that DirecTV refuses to come anywhere near what the established market rate is for those fees and that the proposed rates from DirecTV are too low.

DirecTV executives have accused Sunbeam of a “shameless attempt to extort a more than 300 percent fee increase that our customers will have to absorb.”

DirecTV had asked Sunbeam to keep the signals to WHDH and WLVI available over the weekend but to no avail.  WHDH has suggested that customers switch satellite companies, change to cable or buy digital rabbit ear antenna’s to receive the stations over the air signals.

A DirecTV blackout of the Super Bowl broadcast which is being carried by NBC affiliate WHDH this year in the Boston market could be huge with two teams with deep, local roots facing each other.

Several Boston area businesses that have the DirecTV service are concerned.  They are counting on the Super Bowl and the participation of the Patriots and Giants to bring customers to their bars.  If no agreement is reached by February 5th those businesses are in line to lose a lot of money by not being able to show the game.

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Francona Joins ESPN

Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona argues with umpire Larry Vanover (R) during a break in play against the Toronto Blue Jays during the seventh inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Toronto, in this file image from July 10, 2010.

With no managerial openings going his way, former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona has found himself a new job. He’ll be replacing the new manager of the Red Sox, Bobby Valentine, at ESPN.

Here’s the release from ESPN:

Terry Francona, two-time World Champion manager of the Boston Red Sox, has joined ESPN in a multiplatform role which will include serving as an analyst for Sunday Night Baseball, the network’s exclusive national game of the week. Francona will join Dan Shulman and Orel Hershiser in the Sunday Night Baseball booth, replacing current Red Sox manager and former ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine.  He will make his ESPN debut tonight, Dec. 5, on SportsCenter and Baseball Tonight from the Winter Meetings in Dallas.

Francona will also provide analysis for Baseball Tonight, among other news and information shows, and ESPN’s coverage of the Little League World Series.  Additionally, he will be a featured guest on ESPN Radio’s national shows and contributor to ESPN.com and ESPNBoston.com.

“Terry is a brilliant baseball mind, with two World Series rings over the last eight seasons, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to our team,” said Norby Williamson, executive vice president, production. “Ted Williams for Joe DiMaggio never happened, but this is ESPN’s version with Bobby moving to the Red Sox dugout and Terry replacing him on Sunday Night Baseball.”

“I’m excited to join ESPN and to be able to talk about my passion for baseball with fans who love the game as much as me,” said Francona.  “In some ways, I’ll be a rookie all over again, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Francona provided analysis for Fox Sports during the American League Championship Series in 2011.

Francona managed the Red Sox for eight seasons (2004-11), leading the team to a pair of World Series championships (2004; 2007) and a record of 744-552. He previously managed the Philadelphia Phillies from 1997-2000.

Francona served as a bench coach for the Oakland Athletics in 2003 and the Texas Rangers in 2002.  He also served as a special assistant to baseball operations with the Cleveland Indians in 2001. Francona managed in the Minor Leagues from 1992-95.

Francona played in the Major Leagues from 1981-90 with the Montreal Expos (1981-85), Chicago Cubs (1986), Cincinnati Reds (1987), Cleveland Indians (1988) and Milwaukee Brewers (1989-90).  He was drafted by the Expos in 1980 out of the University of Arizona, where he won the Golden Spikes Award as the nation’s top amateur player that same year.

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Photo credit: Reuters Pictures

Erin Andrews Gives Us Some Tongue

Erin Andrew tongue

ESPN hottie Erin Andrews is in Atlanta this weekend for the SEC Championship Game between LSU and Georgia. David Pollack came along with her and she showed us all of his adoring fans on a video posted on YouTube.

But right at the end of the video, she gives us some tongue as seen above.

Photo credit: Erin Andrews YouTube

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CPTV Sports Announces Game and Program Highlights for November 1-4

CPTV Sports

HARTFORD, Conn. (November 1, 2011) – CPTV Sports, formerly the Connecticut Sports Network (CTSN), is Connecticut’s only 24-hour local sports network, covering statewide high school sports college match-ups, professional sports competitions and more.

Launched on November 1, CPTV Sports is available on Comcast cable channels 185, 187 and 744 and on the Cox Communications cable system channel 144. High school sports and CIAC championship games are sponsored by Connecticut Lighting Centers and New England Musculoskeletal Institute at UConn Health Center. In addition, high school football is made possible in part by Connecticut Rental Centers.

For November 1-4, CPTV Sports’ program highlights include:

Tuesday, November 1

8 p.m.              You Make the Call with Geno Auriemma

Wednesday, November 2

7 p.m.              Boys High School Football – Conard vs. New Britain

Thursday, November 3

7 p.m.              High School Boys Football – Hillhouse at Xavier

Friday, November 4

6:30 p.m.         High School Boys Football – Ellington/Somers at Enfield

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CPTV Sports, CPTV’s All-New 24/7 Sports Channel, Launches on Connecticut Cable Stations This November

CPTV Sports

HARTFORD, Conn. (November 1, 2011) – CPTV is excited to announce that it is bringing an all-new type of sports coverage to Connecticut with CPTV Sports, a statewide, 24/7 sports channel that covers high school, college and additional sporting events throughout the state.

Scheduled to launch in November on Comcast and Cox cable systems in Connecticut, CPTV Sports is a not-for-profit channel owned and managed by Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) that broadcasts coverage of sporting events and match-ups from more than 40 schools and organizations, including the University of Connecticut, University of Hartford, Central Connecticut State University, Post University and the CIAC state high school championships. The channel will expand to additional cable and over-the-air carriage in early 2012.

CPTV Sports will provide viewers coverage of mainstream sports such as baseball with the New Britain Rock Cats, basketball with the Hartford Lightning and the CT-6 Tournament, hockey with the CT Whale, and soccer with the CT Soccer League, as well as unique sporting events like auto racing from Stafford Motor Speedway, the SpiritFest Cheerleading Championships, and the Connecticut Special Olympics games. Future planned programming includes sports such as rugby, softball, cricket, roller derby, BMX, and others. The channel will also broadcast additional programming related to sports, such as programs on sports medicine.

CPTV Sports will be one of CPTV’s digital channels and will also be broadcast in high-definition television, and will take advantage of CPTV’s unique ability to bring local people and events to exciting life with intimate storytelling and reporting.

The team behind CPTV Sports includes broadcast professionals Bob Yalen, formerly with ESPN and ABC Sports, who serves as channel director and Joe Coss, Post University Sports Information Director, who serves as production manager.

“At CPTV, we know that the best in sports entertainment can be found, not in Boston or New York, but right here in the Nutmeg State,” said Jerry Franklin, President and CEO of the Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network. “Tune in this November as CPTV Sports hits the airwaves, bringing coverage of all the exciting, inspiring fun that can be found right in Connecticut residents’ own backyards.”

About Connecticut Public Television

CPTV is a media service of the Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network. It is a locally and nationally recognized producer and presenter of quality public television programming, including UConn Women’s Basketball, original documentaries and educational programming. CPTV has built a reputation as a leader in children’s programming, including playing an historic role in bringing Barney & Friends™, Bob the Builder™ and Thomas & Friends™ to public television. The station offers 11 hours of positive, nurturing children’s programs each weekday, reaching 50,000 to 70,000 households daily. The Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network (CBPN) also includes WNPR. WNPR is an affiliate of National Public Radio, Public Radio International and American Public Media. WNPR serves almost 240,000 listeners weekly in Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island with news and information. Its award winning local programming includes Where We Live, The Colin McEnroe Show and The Faith Middleton Show. Overall the network brings a broad spectrum of public affairs, entertainment, sports and educational programming to viewers, listeners and readers. For more information, visit cptv.org.

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10th Annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon set for August 30th – 31st

BOSTON (June 6, 2011) – WEEI and NESN are proud to announce that the 10th annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon will take place at Fenway Park on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 30th and 31st from 6am to midnight.  The emotional two day event has become one of the biggest fundraisers of the Jimmy Fund’s year. In 2010, more than $3.1 million dollars were raised, bringing the nine year total to nearly $26 million dollars.

WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-TelethonDonations are already well underway thanks to the 4th Annual “Tame the Tigers” golf tournament, held this past month on May 19th at The International in Bolton, MA. The event was the most successful to date, raising over $100,000 and was a sell-out for the second straight year.

This year’s Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon will focus on the progress that has been made in cancer research over the past decade. The 36-hour broadcast will once again feature truly compelling stories from Jimmy Fund patients and doctors, as well as celebrity guests from the sports and entertainment worlds.

Julie Kahn, VP and Market Manager for Entercom Boston said, “For the past ten years, WEEI and NESN have been allies when it comes to the fight against cancer. The generosity of WEEI’s listeners and NESN’s viewers is overwhelming and we are grateful to them year after year.”

“Our entire company is committed to this event and all of our employees are actively engaged in this two day telethon,” said Sean McGrail, NESN’s President and CEO. “This collective commitment meaningfully touches all of us and hopefully makes a real difference to the people who are fighting this challenging disease.”

“It is incredible to think that this is the 10th year for the radio-telethon. The progress that has been made in cancer research and care since we started is staggering,” said Jason Wolfe, VP of Programming for WEEI. Wolfe continued, “Patients are living longer, healthier lives, and in many cases, cancer free. These are the two best days of our year and I’m looking forward to another super event.”

To help strike out cancer during the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon, call 877-738-1234 toll free. For more information, to purchase tickets, or to contribute online, go to www.jimmyfundradiotelethon.org.

CSTV Gets New Name

CBS is taking over CSTV and will rename the network CBS College Sports Network, the change takes effect March 1st.

new logoCBS Corporation acquired CSTV, in January 2006 for $325 million, and last month announced the integration of its business and programming operations into the CBS Sports division. Its many platforms for distribution include CSTV, CSTV XXL and All Access as well as satellite television and radio, in-flight entertainment, wireless networks and more. All will now be part of the CBS College Sports Network brand.

Among the acquisition’s is the CSTV.com website.

“CSTV has developed a significant online presence within the collegiate sports community, and CBSSports.com has become one of the leading destinations for professional sports coverage,” said Jason Kint, Senior Vice President and General Manager of CBSSports.com. “These are two world class operations with complementary audiences, and, taken together, will give CBS Sports the most powerful and varied user profile in all sports media.”

The change to CBS College Sports Network, which will include the full integration of the CBS Sports on air style and graphics, follows the highly successful rebranding of the former CBS Sportsline.com to CBSSports.com last August. In the month following that change, CBSSports.com earned a 27 percent increase in users giving the site the highest growth rate among major sports sites.

As part of CBS taking over CSTV the network will place an emphasis for developing original programming for the cable network. Anchoring that change will be the show College Sports Tonight, a 60-minute news and information program looking at the day in college sports and previewing upcoming events.

This move gives CBS something FOX and ABC have already had a cable sports network. FOX operates the FSN, FOX Sports Network and FSC, FOX College Sports. ABC has the ESPN family of networks which include ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN News and ESPNU.

Like the new uniforms? See them up close and personal on cable tv!