Re: Hub/66 Debut

[PublicRef2 <norwood@mln.lib.ma.us>]

I'm not sending this through my normal E-Mail server. To respond, reply
to: <notquite@hotmail.com>. Thanks!

I also seem to recall that the conversion of Channel 66 was supposed to
be July 1st, not July 31st.

I think there may be several possible reasons. Anyone who knows for sure
can send a response to the list.

The reasons could be:

(1) Has coversion of the station's new studio/office facility on
Portland Street in Boston gone slower than anticipated, and thus, it
might not be ready for July 1st?

(2) Was Channel 66 supposed to acquire the rights to syndicated
programming held by Channel 68, purchased by the latter before Pax
bought them? Could that deal be in trouble/delayed/dead?
(After all, Pax stations do not need syndicated programming, but Channel
68, before the sale, did buy the rights to lots of movies and to some
syndicated shows, rights to some of which still have several years to
run)

(3) With Channels 4, 5 and 7 going all-out for the Tall Ships (arriving
July 11th), USA Broadcasting (Channel 66's owners) may have decided that
July 1st would be a poor time to start the "new" Channel 66 because the
station might not get many viewers during mid-July--everyone
might be watching the Tall Ships on Channels 4, 5 and 7!

(4) The Republican Convention begins in Philadelphia on July 31st.
Although the "big three" (ABC, CBS and NBC) will only have two hours
each of live coverage---all of it on August 3rd, the final night, for he
acceptance speeches of Governor George W. Bush and Vice-Presiential
Nominee Mr./Ms. X, in the late 1970's and throughout the 1980's and
1990's (when the "big three" would cover conventions "gavel-to-gavel"),
independent stations would score much larger ratings than usual in
prime-time when going up against network conventio coverage. This time,
it might not be the case because, as noted above, the "big three" will
each only have one night of live coverage of each convention.

One other note: Doesn't the contract signed last year between FSNE and
the Celtics (which gives FSNE all local Celtics' TV rights) allow FSNE
to sub-lease or sell-off rights to 25 regular-season
games (of FSNE's choosing; this would mean the "stiffs"--and not the
"good" teams like the Lakers, Indiana, and New York) to a local
over-the-air TV station? If it does, watch for Hub/66 to start
broadcasting the Celtics this fall.

Another question: Since Studios USA and USA Broadcasting are part of the
same company, might Studios USA's three syndicated talk-shows (Sally
Jesse Raphael, Maury Povich, and Jerry Springer) move to Channel 66 with
Sally and Maury getting daytime play and Jerry perhaps running in the 7
to 8 P.M. prime-access" slot?

Joseph Gallant
<notquite@hotmail.com>